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Global Times: European Commission Asked Staff to Uninstall TikTok

Global Times recently reported that, due to so-called data protection considerations, the European Commission has asked the agency’s staff to uninstall TikTok from work devices and personal devices using work applications. The Commission’s staff members were asked to delete TikTok no later than March 15. For those who do not comply by the deadline, work applications will no longer be available on the relevant device. This is the first time the agency has suspended its staff from using an app. A spokesman for the European Commission said it was the result of a “careful analysis,” but declined to disclose the information that led them to conclude that the app posed a significant cybersecurity and data risk to the Commission. The European Parliament also said that it was monitoring and evaluating all possible data breaches related to the app and would consider the European Commission’s assessment before making recommendations. A TikTok spokesperson expressed disappointment in this decision. For some time, the United States has been at the forefront of suppressing TikTok. Politicians in the U.S. frequently use “national security” as an excuse to request restrictions on the use of the app. In December last year, the United States banned the use of TikTok on all federal government devices. Although no EU government has followed the example of the United States, yet some countries, including the Netherlands, are evaluating whether to impose restrictions on the use of TikTok by government staff.

Source: Global Times, February 23, 2023
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/4BpFVNteESh