European Parliament Bans TikTok from Staff Devices Amid Security Concerns
European Policy Makers Join Growing List of Entities Restricting TikTok
EU Institutions Follow in the Footsteps of the United States
On Tuesday, the European Parliament banned TikTok from staff devices, citing concerns over data privacy and security. This move comes after the European Commission, the EU's executive body, and the United States government issued similar restrictions. The decision by these institutions adds to the growing list of entities limiting access to the popular social media platform.
The European Parliament's ban was announced by its President, Roberta Metsola. In a statement, she explained that the move was taken after "security services raised concerns that TikTok may be gathering data in an unauthorized manner." The Commission's decision, which was implemented on March 5, 2023, was based on similar concerns, with a spokesperson stating that "the Commission takes cybersecurity very seriously."
The United States government has also taken a hard line on TikTok in recent months. In December 2022, President Biden signed a bill into law that prohibits the use of TikTok on government-issued devices. This move was followed by similar actions by several federal agencies and a number of states.
TikTok has responded to the restrictions by stating that it takes data security seriously and has implemented a number of measures to protect user information. However, the concerns raised by European and American officials have cast a shadow over the platform's reputation.
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