New Zealand is the latest country to ban TikTok on government devices

New Zealand said on Friday it would ban TikTok on devices with access to the country’s parliamentary network over cybersecurity concerns.

The move makes it the latest nation to restrict use of the video-sharing app on government-related devices.

There are global concerns that the Chinese government could potentially gain access to users’ location and contact information through ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company.

In New Zealand, TikTok will be banned from all devices with access to Parliament’s network until the end of March.

Rafael Gonzalez-Montero, chief executive officer of the parliamentary service, said in an email to Reuters that the decision was made following advice from cybersecurity experts and discussions within the government and with other countries.

“Based on this information, the agency has determined that the risks in New Zealand’s current parliamentary environment are unacceptable,” he said.

Special arrangements can be made for those who need the app for work, he added.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said at a press conference that New Zealand behaves differently from other countries.

“Departments and agencies are following the (Government Communications Security Bureau) advice on IT and cybersecurity policies…we don’t have a blanket over the public sector’s approach,” Hipkins said.

Both the New Zealand Defense Force and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Friday they have already introduced a ban on TikTok on work devices.

A spokesman for the New Zealand Defense Force said in an email to Reuters that the move was a “precautionary measure to protect the safety of personnel”.

On Thursday, the UK banned employees from using TikTok on their work phones with immediate effect.

Cabinet Secretary Oliver Dowden made a statement to parliament that all staff must remove the app “immediately” following an assessment from their government devices.

Last month, the White House gave government agencies 30 days to ensure they don’t have TikTok on federal devices and systems. More than 30 US states have also banned employees from using TikTok on state-owned devices.

This week, the Biden administration called on TikTok’s Chinese owners to divest their stake in the popular video app or face a possible US ban.

TikTok believes these bans are based on “fundamental misunderstandings and are driven by broader geopolitics”.

The company also clarified that its user data is stored in the US and Singapore, not China.

TikTok’s European user data will be stored in their new European data centers.

Responding to a question on Friday about the TikTok bans from Britain and New Zealand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the two countries should stop stretching and abusing the concept of national safety and that they must create a fair and non-discriminatory environment. to companies from all countries”.