The well-known short video app, TikTok has been on the radar of several governments owing to its Chinese ownership. It is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance. The primary reason why governments, globally are hesitant to permit usage of this app in their countries is the plausibility of Beijing collecting information via the app and using it to disseminate pro-China ideologies alongside fake news.
India
The Indian government banned TikTok in 2020 on account of concerns that the platform could pose a threat to the nation’s security and integrity. TikTok has closed operating in the country.
Afghanistan
In a bid to prevent the younger generation from being misled, the Talibans banned TikTok in Afghanistan in 2022. The ban has not been implemented though.
Pakistan
TikTok has been banned several times in Pakistan. The most recent ban ended in November 2022. The Pakistani government claims that the app contains unsuitable and obscene content.
Taiwan
TikTok was prohibited in Taiwan in December 2022 and a probe was ordered into its anticipated unlawful activities on the island via the short video app.
United States of America
On account of concerns surrounding national security tied to TikTok’s Chinese parent firm, ByteDance, the US government has prohibited its use on devices given by the federal government. There are fears that the Chinese government could misuse TikTok to access such systems and gather data on American users.
European union
The executive body of the European Union has prohibited staff from installing TikTok on their phones as a security precaution. These nations also include others like Sweden and Denmark.
Canada
Owing to potential privacy and security hazards, the Canadian federal government stated that it will shortly disallow installing TikTok on its official devices. Additionally, the app will no longer be accessible on government-issued smartphones in Canada.
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