Ban TikTok is to be banned from devices connected to parliament in New Zealand, citing security concerns.
Users’ location and contact data could be accessed by the Chinese government through the app raising concerns.
The latest country to restrict the use of the video-sharing app on equipment used for official purposes is New Zealand which said that TikTok will be prohibited on devices with access to the country’s parliamentary network owing to cyber security concerns.
Through ByteDance TikTok Chinese parent company, the Chinese government may be able to access users’ locations and contact information.
Biden administration officials demanded this week that TikTok Chinese owners divest their stakes, or the app could be banned.
By the end of March TikTok will be banned in New Zealand on all devices connected to the parliament’s network.
Rafael Gonzalez Montero, Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service told Reuters in an email that the decision was made after consultations with cyber security experts and discussions within the government.
With the help of this data, the Service has concluded that the risks are unacceptable given the present parliamentary climate in New Zealand.
There can be special arrangements made for those who need the app to perform their duties, he said.
The comment was not immediately responded to by ByteDance.
On Thursday Britain banned the app from government phones with immediate effect. US agencies have until the end of March to remove the app.
TikTok asserts that the new bans are the result of fundamental misunderstandings and broader geopolitics, pointing out that it has invested more than $1.5 billion in strict data security procedures and rejects claims of espionage.
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