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Australia on Tuesday banned TikTok on all federally owned devices for security reasons, becoming the latest country allied with the United States to take action against the Chinese-owned video app. The ban underscores growing concerns that China could use the Beijing-based company, owned by ByteDance Ltd, to harvest user data to advance its political agenda, undermining Western security interests. It also risks reigniting diplomatic tensions between Australia and its biggest trading partner after things have calmed down somewhat since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took office in May as head of a Labor government. ALSO READ: From India to UK, TikTok Banned in These Countries; Pakistan blocked the Chinese app 4 times!
TikTok said it was extremely disappointed in Australia's decision, calling it "driven by policy, not fact."
The ban will take effect "as soon as possible," Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement, adding that waivers would only be granted on a case-by-case basis and with appropriate safeguards in place.
With Australia's ban, all members of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, which includes Australia, Canada, the United States, Great Britain and New Zealand, have banned the application of government devices. France, Belgium and the European Commission have announced similar bans.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, in his testimony before the US Congress last month, repeatedly denied that the app shares data or has ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
TikTok Australia and New Zealand managing director Lee Hunter said TikTok should not be isolated.
"There is no evidence to suggest that TikTok poses a security risk to Australians in any way and it should not be treated any differently to other social media platforms," Hunter said in a statement.
The Australian newspaper reported Monday night that Albanese agreed to the ban after a review by the Home Office.
Dreyfus confirmed that the federal government recently received a "Review of Foreign Interference Through Social Media Applications" report and that its recommendations remain under review.
Trade negotiations "going well"
The ban comes on the day Australian and Chinese officials held talks in Beijing in a bid to normalize trade as the World Trade Organization prepares to publish the results of an Australian barley tariff complaint.
"Things are going well, but of course it will take time to right this ship," Trade Minister Don Farrell told Sky News, referring to prospects for improved trade relations.
In 2018, Australia banned China's Huawei from supplying equipment while it was rolling out its 5G network, angering China. Links further soured after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origin of COVID-19.
China responded by imposing tariffs on Australian products.
Australian lawmakers can still use TikTok on personal phones, but some, including Federal Government Services Minister Bill Shorten and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, have decided to delete their accounts.
The state of Victoria will also ban the app on phones owned by the state government, a government spokesman told Reuters.
As TikTok comes under increasing pressure over potential Chinese influence on the platform, it has also come under fire for influencing children.
TikTok said President Joe Biden's administration had required its Chinese owners to give up their shares or face a possible US ban.
