US, Canada ban TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices

Amid security concerns, the US and Canada have banned TikTok for all government-issued mobile devices, reflecting growing concerns among Western officials about the Chinese-owned video-sharing app.

The US Office of Management and Budget on Monday called the TikTok ban "a critical step forward in addressing the risks the app poses to sensitive government data." Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and State, already have restrictions; the guidelines call on the rest of the federal government to follow suit within 30 days.

The White House no longer allows TikTok on its devices. "The Biden-Harris administration has invested heavily in defending our nation's digital infrastructure and limiting foreign adversaries' access to Americans' data," said Chris DeRusha, the federal director of information security. "These guidelines are part of the administration's ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the security and privacy of the American people." Reuters was the first to report on it.

Congress passed the "TikTok Ban on Government Facilities Act" in December as part of a sweeping government funding package. Legislation allows the use of TikTok in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes. TikTok spokeswoman Brooke Oberwetter said: “TikTok's ban on federal facilities passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately this approach served as a blueprint for other world governments. These bans are little more than political theater.”

House Republicans are expected to advance a bill on Tuesday that would give Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide. The legislation, proposed by Rep. Mike McCaul, seeks to sidestep challenges the administration would face in court if it moved forward with sanctions against the social media company. If passed, the bill would allow the administration to ban not only TikTok, but any software application that threatens national security. Meanwhile, Canada has also announced that it is banning TikTok for all government-issued mobile devices.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it could be the first step to further steps. "I suspect that when the government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones, many Canadians from businesses to individuals will think about the security of their own data and perhaps make a decision," Trudeau said. Last week, the European Union's executive branch said it had temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by staff as a cybersecurity measure.