Downing Street gives TikTok update as US threatens to ban social media app

14 March 2024 , 17:28

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The US House of Representatives passed a landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in the country (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

No10 has given an update on TikTok's usage in the UK after the US threatened to ban the social media app.

Downing Street said "the use of TikTok remains a personal choice for members of the public" despite being blocked on government devices. But she confirmed the Government's experts "continue to keep all these issues under review and monitor threats".

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in the country. It will give ByteDance, the Chinese parent company that owns TikTok, six months to sell its stake in the app or it will be blocked. The bill will now need to be reviewed by the US Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden before it becomes law.

Asked if the Government is considering following the US, the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said: "Obviously it is a matter for the US lawmakers in terms of the bill today. For our part, ensuring the security of UK data is a priority for the Government. Our experts continue to monitor threats to our data and we will not hesitate to take further action if necessary, to protect our national security.

"And you'll remember the Government has previously put restrictions on government devices, but more broadly, the use of TikTok remains a personal choice for members of the public, and our National Cyber Security Centre has published guidance on using social media safely."

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Asked if they were considering a review specifically on TikTok, she added: "Our experts continue to keep all these issues under review and monitor threats and obviously would take further action if necessary, but no, no further update for you on that at this time."

The move from the US is in response to national security concerns about China's influence over TikTok. Chinese companies must follow strict data laws which require them to share data with the government when requested.

TikTok has said it does not share US users data with the Chinese government. But newspaper investigations have suggested data is being unofficially shared between Tiktok in the US and ByteDance in China.

Republican US politician Mike Gallagher, who was one of the authors of the bill, said: “We can’t take the chance of having a dominant news platform in America controlled or owned by a company that is beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, our foremost adversary."

Sophie Huskisson