TikTok: UK mirrors Canada, U.S. and EU bans

The UK has banned TikTok on government electronic devices over security concerns. This follows similar restrictions by the U.S., Canada and EU. British officials say the ban is a prudent step following advice from cyber security experts.

U.S. senators say Chinese parent company ByteDance must divest from Tiktok over national security concerns. Under the bipartisan RESTRICT Act, the commerce secretary has the power to ban apps and products made by foreign adversaries, including China. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) says ByteDance must not be allowed to even indirectly control TikTok. He said his ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is the only bill that would ban TikTok.

China’s foreign ministry has condemned restrictions on TikTok. It says the U.S. has not proven TikTok threatens its national security. China says the U.S. should “stop spreading disinformation about data security, stop suppressing relevant companies, and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for foreign businesses to invest and operate.”

In 2020, President Joe Biden had ordered ByteDance to divest from TikTok operations in the U.S. and any data obtained from U.S. users.