Britain becomes latest to ban TikTok on government phones
LA TimesBritain is following the U.S. and European Union in banning TikTok from government mobile phones on security grounds. British authorities said Thursday that they are banning the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from government mobile phones on security grounds, following similar moves by the U.S. and European Union. The moves were prompted by growing concerns that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, would give user data such as browsing history and location to the Chinese government, or push propaganda and misinformation on its behalf. “We remain committed to working with the government to address any concerns but should be judged on facts and treated equally to our competitors.” China accused the U.S. on Thursday of spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok following reports that the Biden administration was calling for the short-form video service’s Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the popular app.