Parliament bans TikTok from devices amid crackdown on popular app

23 March 2023, 15:00 | Updated: 23 March 2023, 15:03

TikTok has been banned from all of Parliament's devices and networks over concerns about security and China.

The commissions of the Commons and the Lords said they will follow the Government's ban on official devices.

"Cyber security is a top priority for Parliament, however we do not comment on specific details of our cyber or physical security controls, policies or incidents," a spokesman said.

It will be blocked "from all parliamentary devices and the wider parliamentary network".

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TikTok insists national security concerns have been overblown, while critics say there is a risk data could be shared with the government in Beijing, or even share propaganda for China.

Cabinet office minister Oliver Dowden banned the app from Government devices earlier in March.

"The security of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on government devices. The use of other data-extracting apps will be kept under review," he said previously.

"Restricting the use of TikTok on Government devices is a prudent and proportionate step following advice from our cyber security experts."

However, energy security Grant Shapps, a prolific user of the app, said he would keep it on his phone, saying it was a good way to reach voters.

China hawk Iain Duncan Smith said: "The decision to block TikTok from ALL parliamentary devices is welcome, a good decision.

"Given this robust position in Parliament following the ban of TikTok from govt phones, it's now time that TikTok is also banned from Ministers' personal telephones."

TikTok has been banned on official devices in the US, across the EU bureaucracy, and in Canada.

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The White House has raised the prospect of parent company ByteDance selling its shares or risk a total ban in the US.

There are an estimated 150m users in the US.

A spokesperson for the app said: "If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn't solve the problem: a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access.

"The best way to address concerns about national security is with the transparent, US-based protection of US user data and systems."