Following US and UK, Australia to Ban TikTok on Government Devices

Following similar bans in other western nations, the Australian government has restricted the use of the Chinese social media app TikTok on government devices. Mark Dreyfus, the attorney general, stated that he had authorized his department’s secretary to issue a mandatory directive to prohibit the TikTok app from being installed on devices owned by Commonwealth departments and agencies.

He said that the directive will take effect as soon as is practical. Exemptions will only be granted on a case-by-case basis and subject to the implementation of appropriate security measures.

The government states that TikTok poses significant security and privacy risks to non-corporate Commonwealth entities as a result of extensive user data collection and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law, as stated in the protective security direction issued with the ban.

Last month the public authority got a survey from the Division of Home Issues on the security dangers of all web-based entertainment stages and the right government settings. Although the overarching policy will guarantee uniformity throughout the government, TikTok is currently prohibited from government devices by more than half of all federal agencies. The planned ban was communicated to the states and territories.

A Victorian government representative said it would attempt to take on the new limitations on the utilization of TikTok, while Another South Ribs government representative said Network protection NSW would proceed with conversations with the central government on the new position.

According to TikTok’s Australia and New Zealand general manager Lee Hunter, the company was not informed of the proposed ban before it was leaked to the media. He said in a statement that the company, which said the decision was based on politics rather than facts, was extremely disappointed by it.