TikTok Ban: Countries That Have Restricted The Short-Video App

The United Kingdom on Thursday banned TikTok on government phones on security grounds. Many other countries have banned the Chinese short-video app over national security and data privacy concerns

UK Bans TikTok On Govt Phones, Here Are Other Countries That Banned TikTok

India: In 2020, India completely banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps (private and government usage), as they were deemed "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order."

United States: In December last year, US banned TikTok on government devices. Additionally, more than half of the 50 US states have also banned the app from government devices. Reportedly, the US has also threatened to impose a complete ban on TikTok unless its Chinese owners, ByteDance, divest their stakes in it.

Europe Union: The three top EU bodies, the EU Parliament, European Commission, and the EU Council all have imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices in February, citing cybersecurity concerns.

Canada: On February 28, Canada banned TikTok from all government-issued devices saying that the app "presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security." Government employees will also be blocked from downloading the application in the future.

Taiwan: In December 2022, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok. Chinese software, including apps like TikTok, its Chinese version Douyin, or Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle content app, is not permitted to be used on government equipment, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.

Belgium: Last week, Belgium banned TikTok from government phones over worries about cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation. The Chinese app will be temporarily prohibited from devices owned or paid for by Belgium's federal government for at least six months.

Denmark: Defense Ministry of Denmark on March 6, announced it would “ban the use of the app on official units” as a cybersecurity measure. The ministry said "there were weighty security considerations within the defence ministry combined with a very limited work-related need to use the app."

Pakistan and Afghanistan: Citing morality concerns, Pakistan has temporarily banned TikTok at least four times since October 2020. On the other hand, in its neighbor, Afghanistan’s Taliban banned TikTok and the game PUBG in 2022 on the grounds of protecting youths.

Azerbaijan:TikTok was temporarily banned in Azerbaijan on September 2022. The decision was made on grounds of national security, stating that military personnel's actions in military operations were being influenced by the platform. The temporary restriction was lifted in November 2022.