New Zealand is set to ban Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from devices with access to the parliamentary network, joining the list of Western nations that have expressed concerns over platform’s security risks.
New Zealand government has announced that it will be banning TikTok on devices used within parliament owing to ‘cybersecurity concerns’.
“Risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment,” Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said, adding that “Special arrangements can be made for those who require the app to do their jobs”.
“The ban will start from March 31,” he added.
The video-sharing app has come under increasing scrutiny due to fears that user data from the app could end up in the hands of the Chinese government.
The ban comes amidst growing concerns over the security of the platform and it’s potential to compromise sensitive government information.
On Thursday, the UK has implemented an immediate ban on the use of the app on government phones, while government agencies in the United States have been given until the end of March to remove the app from official devices.
It is pertinent to mention here that the use of the TikTok has exploded in recent years, with 3.5 billion downloads worldwide.
