TikTok, the popular video-sharing app owned by China-based parent company ByteDance, is under scrutiny in various countries due to privacy and security concerns. The app has already been banned or restricted in several nations, with fears that user data could be compromised or influenced by foreign entities.
Partial or Total Bans on TikTok:
- Afghanistan: Banned TikTok in 2022, along with PUBG, to protect youth from misinformation.
- Australia: Not allowed on federal government devices due to security advice.
- Belgium: Indefinitely banned on federal government devices over cybersecurity and privacy worries.
- Canada: Forbidden on federal government devices due to privacy and security risks.
- Denmark: Defense Ministry banned TikTok on work phones citing security concerns.
- European Union: Bans on staff devices in EU institutions.
- France: Recreational use banned on government employees' phones over data security.
- India: Nationwide ban since 2020 over privacy and security concerns.
- Indonesia: Online retail function banned to protect small businesses.
- Latvia: Foreign Ministry prohibits TikTok on official smartphones.
- Netherlands: Banned on employee work phones due to data security concerns.
- Nepal: Nationwide ban due to disrupting social harmony.
- New Zealand: Prohibited on Parliament devices based on cybersecurity advice.
- Norway: Parliament banned TikTok on work devices over security warnings.
- Pakistan: Temporarily banned multiple times since 2020 for promoting immoral content.
- Somalia: Blocked access due to concerns of spreading offensive content.
- Taiwan: Public sector ban after national security risk warning.
- United Kingdom: Banned on government devices for security reasons.
- United States: Federal agencies and states banned TikTok over data security concerns.
These bans reflect global unease over TikTok's potential risks, with governments taking precautionary measures to safeguard user data and national security.
