What countries have banned TikTok?

There is a growing list of states and government agencies taking action against the app.

TikTok is facing increasing restrictions and bans globally.

In the US, an imminent ban and a recent congressional hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew were making headlines. Furthermore, in North America, Europe, and Asia, many countries have implemented some level of restrictions on the app, mainly due to privacy and cybersecurity concerns with parent company ByteDance, which has ties to the Chinese government. Intergovernmental bodies, including the European Commission and NATO(Opens in a new tab) It banned employees from using TikTok on their corporate phones, as have federal governments in countries around the world.

Below are the countries that have called for partial or complete bans on the app.

Afghanistan

The Taliban banned TikTok in Afghanistan in April 2022, saying the platform’s content “does not comply with Islamic law,” according to Bloomberg.(Opens in a new tab)

Australia

On April 4, Australia banned the app(Opens in a new tab) of all federally owned aircraft, citing security concerns raised by the Department of the Interior. Attorney General Mark Dreyfuss said the ban would be imposed “as soon as possible”.

Belgium

Belgium bans TikTok(Opens in a new tab) From work phones to civil servants. Prime Minister Alexandre de Croo said in a statement to Politico,(Opens in a new tab) “We cannot be naive: TikTok is a Chinese company that is currently authorized to cooperate with Chinese intelligence services.”

Canada

Like other countries, Canada has banned TikTok(Opens in a new tab) from all government mobile devices in February this year. said Mona Fortier, chair of the Treasury Board(Opens in a new tab) The reason for the partial ban is that the app presents an “unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security”.

“The decision to remove and ban TikTok from government mobile devices is being taken as a precaution, particularly given concerns about the legal regime governing information collected from mobile devices, and is consistent with the approach of our international partners,” it said. in a report.

Denmark

The Danish Ministry of Defense bans employees(Opens in a new tab) from downloading TikTok to their work devices in March. Also in line with security considerations assessed by the country’s Cyber ​​Security Center, employees have been urged to remove the app as soon as possible.

India

India took action against TikTok in 2020, implementing a nationwide ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps, for “(engaging in) activities harmful to the sovereignty and integrity of India, India’s defense, state security, and public order”. The government implemented the ban after the bloody border clash between Indian and Chinese military forces. India is the largest country to completely ban the app.

Holland

Although not an outright ban, Dutch authorities have been ordered not to use TikTok(Opens in a new tab). The recommendation is in line with many other government service bodies, but is less scrutinized in the Netherlands, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Affairs told Politico.

New Zealand

After similar decisions by several European countries, the New Zealand Parliament announced a ban on TikTok on all employee devices(Opens in a new tab).

“This decision was taken based on the analysis of our experts and after discussions with our colleagues in government and abroad,” the government statement read.(Opens in a new tab) Delivered by Director General of the Parliamentary Service, Rafael González Montero. “Based on this information, the service has determined that the risks are unacceptable in the current New Zealand parliamentary environment.”

Norway

The Norwegian Parliament has banned TikTok(Opens in a new tab) on government devices in March, with public employees allowed to use the app for work purposes on their personal devices. “Norway’s intelligence services identify Russia and China as the main risk factors for Norway’s security interests,” the country’s justice minister, Emily Inger Mehl, said in a statement. Mehl has suffered her fair share of scrutiny for having TikTok on her work phone(Opens in a new tab) But before the ban.

Taiwan

Government agencies in Taiwan have been banned from using software made in China(Opens in a new tab)Including TikTok, in December 2022.

United kingdom

UK government ministers have been banned from using TikTok on work phones and devices, following reviews by the UK’s National Cyber ​​Security Centre. Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden explained(Opens in a new tab) In a statement that the government’s decision “is in line with similar restrictions imposed by key international partners,” it quoted the US and Canadian governments and the European Commission.

“Given the potentially sensitive nature of information stored on government devices, the government’s policy on managing third-party applications will be strengthened and a precautionary ban on TikTok on government devices will be introduced,” the statement said.

United State

In short, it’s complicated. In March, the US required Bytedance to sell TikTok or face a complete ban in the country. The US has never imposed national restrictions on an app, but is now debating whether to do so for TikTok. It urged federal agencies to remove the app from employees’ phones(Opens in a new tab)And the White House doesn’t actually allow TikTok to be used on devices.(Opens in a new tab) CEO Xu Ziqiu recently testified before Congress, defending the app and citing “Project Texas,” the company’s initiative to protect user data in the US. The future of TikTok in America remains uncertain.

Here’s everything you need to know about the possibility of TikTok being banned in the US.