Australia joins US, Canada and others to ban TikTok on government devices

Australia recently banned TikTok on all federal government-owned devices, citing security fears and advice from national intelligence agencies. This makes Australia the last of the “Five Eyes” security partners, which include the United States, Canada, Britain, and New Zealand, to take action against the Chinese-owned video app.

India was one of the first countries to impose a nationwide ban on TikTok and other Chinese apps like WeChat in 2020, following a clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border.

In the United States, government agencies were given 30 days in early March to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems over data security concerns. The ban applies only to government devices, but some U.S. lawmakers are advocating for an outright ban.

In Europe, the European Parliament, European Commission, and the EU Council have imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices. Belgium, Denmark, France, and the Netherlands have also taken measures to ban or restrict the use of TikTok on government-issued devices…