Australia’s decision to ban the popular social media app TikTok has sparked a response from China, which has urged the country to treat all firms fairly. TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has come under fire from several countries, including Australia, over concerns about its security risks and potential links to the Chinese government.
According to a recent report, the Australian government has decided to ban the use of TikTok on all government devices due to security concerns. The decision came after receiving advice from intelligence and security agencies and puts Australia in line with its allies from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. The European Parliament, Norway, and NATO have also imposed similar restrictions on the app, while the US government has threatened to ban it unless ByteDance agrees to spin off their share of the social media platform.
As of early 2023, Australia had over 8 million TikTok users aged 18 and over, according to the company. TikTok’s General Manager in Australia and New Zealand, Lee Hunter, expressed disappointment in the decision and claimed it was driven by politics. He argued that the company had repeatedly tried to engage constructively with the Australian government and that there was no evidence to suggest that the app posed a security risk to the country.
However, Australia’s Attorney-General’s Department has issued a notice stating that TikTok poses security and privacy risks due to its “extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law.” The ban will be imposed “as soon as practicable,” according to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.
China’s Commerce Ministry has responded to the ban, calling it “discriminatory” and urging Australia to treat all firms fairly. The ministry statement said that Australia’s ban on TikTok from all federal government-owned devices harmed the interests of Australian businesses and the public. The statement also urged Australia to create a favourable environment for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
The ban on TikTok in Australia is part of a growing trend of countries imposing restrictions on social media apps over concerns about data privacy and national security. As concerns continue to grow, it remains to be seen whether other countries will follow in the footsteps of Australia, the US, Canada, Britain, and New Zealand in imposing restrictions on the app.