Australia Joins Bandwagon & Looks To Ban TikTok

The Australian government has implemented a ban on the use of the Chinese social media app TikTok on government devices, in line with actions taken by other western nations, reported The Guardian.

The Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus, authorized the Secretary of his department to issue a mandatory directive to ban the TikTok app on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies.

“The direction will come into effect as soon as practicable,” he said. “Exemptions will only be granted on a case-by-case basis and with appropriate security mitigations in place.”

Related: Two More US States Ban TikTok

According to the protective security direction issued with the ban, the government states TikTok “poses significant security and privacy risks to non-corporate Commonwealth entities arising from an extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflicts with Australian law.”

The Department of Home Affairs conducted a review last month on the security risks associated with social media platforms and appropriate government settings, which was received by the government.