The Prime Minister declares that he will do whatever is necessary to safeguard the security of the United Kingdom
Rishi Sunak has suggested that the UK might emulate the US and Canada by prohibiting TikTok on government devices, emphasizing his commitment to protecting British security by taking any essential measures. The Prime Minister stated that the UK is observing the actions of its allies who have previously removed TikTok from government phones due to concerns over its connections to China. Additionally, the European Commission and European Parliament have banned TikTok from their staff’s devices.
ITV inquired about a potential ban, to which Sunak replied that the government’s goal is to safeguard sensitive information’s integrity and security. He added that they would do whatever it takes to achieve this aim.
During another interview with the BBC, Sunak affirmed that the security of their devices is a top priority for the government. Earlier in the day, TikTok expressed its disappointment regarding the possibility of being banned from UK government devices after media reports suggested that ministers were considering such action. TikTok attributed such measures to unfounded concerns, as the app’s ownership by ByteDance, based in Beijing, has come under scrutiny. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have raised alarms about the Chinese government’s access to TikTok’s data or its potential manipulation of the app’s recommendation algorithm.
According to The Sunday Times, the government security group, a department within the Cabinet Office, conducted a TikTok review, and the National Cyber Security Centre identified app-related security hazards.
In response, a TikTok spokesperson stated, “While awaiting specific concerns raised by the UK government, we would be disappointed by such an action. Similar decisions taken in other countries have been based on unfounded fears and appear to be motivated by wider geopolitics. Nevertheless, we are committed to collaborating with the government to address any issues.”
The report suggested that the ban would not extend to the ministers’ and civil servants’ personal devices, although guidance would be issued to caution users of the app’s risks.
Last month, TikTok presented Project Clover, a plan to alleviate European governments’ concerns regarding the security of the platform. This framework involves storing user data on servers in Ireland and Norway, at an annual cost of €1.2bn (£1.1bn). Any data transfers outside of Europe will be reviewed by a third-party IT company. A security deal has been outlined in the US, with the tech firm Oracle responsible for storing TikTok’s data and scrutinising its source code, but it has not yet been approved by the White House. In December, the US banned TikTok from federal government devices, and last month, Canada and the EU’s executive arm followed suit.
