BRUSSELS: NATO has banned the popular social media app TikTok from being downloaded onto its official devices due to security concerns, according to sources within the organization.
The ban was made official on Friday morning when a note was sent to staff outlining the decision. However, the app was already unusable on NATO-issued devices due to internal tech restrictions.
The decision comes as various governments, including the US, UK, Norway, and the European Parliament, have banned the app over concerns that the Chinese government could access TikTok users’ data through its parent company, Bytedance.
TikTok assures independence from China
Despite TikTok CEO Shou Chew’s assurances that the company is independent from Beijing and that data is being moved to the US for storage, western governments remain skeptical.
“Cyber security is a top priority for NATO. NATO has robust requirements for determining applications for official business use. TikTok is not accessible on NATO devices,” a senior NATO official stated.
The ban is the latest in a series of actions being taken by governments and organizations worldwide to address concerns over the security and privacy implications of the app. During a hearing earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that TikTok should be “ended one way or another.”
