The European Union, the United States and Canada have all recently issued orders banning the use of TikTok on government-issued devices, as concerns grow over the app’s privacy and security.
The video-sharing platform, which is owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, has long maintained that it does not share users’ data with the Chinese government, and that it is run independently.
But some experts worry that sensitive information could be exposed when the app is downloaded, especially on government devices.
TikTok disputes accusations that it collects more user data than other social media companies, and has called the bans «basic misinformation,» saying these had been decided with «no deliberation or evidence».
But many countries remain cautious about the platform and its ties to China. Western technology companies including Airbnb, Yahoo and LinkedIn have also been leaving China or downsizing operations there because of Beijing’s strict privacy law, which specifies how companies can collect and store data.
Other Western countries including Denmark are now pursuing similar bans on Tiktok, citing espionage fears.
Here are the countries and regions that have already implemented partial or total bans on the app.
EU institutions
The European Parliament, European Commission and the EU Council, the three top EU bodies, have all imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices, citing cybersecurity concerns.
The European Parliament’s ban, announced on Tuesday, takes effect on March 20. It also “strongly recommended” that members of parliament and staff remove the app from their personal devices as well.
United States
This week, the US said government agencies had 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems over data security concerns. The ban applies only to government devices, though some US lawmakers are advocating an outright ban.
More than half of the 50 US states have also banned the app from government devices.
Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have warned that ByteDance could share TikTok user data with China’s authoritarian government.
There is also concern about TikTok’s content and whether it harms teenagers’ mental health. Researchers from the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate said in a report in December that eating disorder content on the platform had amassed 13.2 billion views.
Roughly two-thirds of US teens use TikTok, according to the Pew Research Center.
Canada
After the US announcement, Canada announced on Monday that government-issued devices must not use TikTok, saying that it presents an “unacceptable” risk to privacy and security.
Employees will also be blocked from downloading the application in the future.
India
In 2020, India imposed a ban on TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, including the messaging app WeChat, over privacy and security concerns. The ban came shortly after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border killed 20 Indian soldiers and injured dozens.
The companies were given a chance to respond to questions on privacy and security requirements but the ban was made permanent in January 2021.
Taiwan
In December 2022, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok after the FBI warned that TikTok posed a national security risk.
Government devices, including mobile phones, tablets and desktop computers, are not allowed to use Chinese-made software, which include apps like TikTok, its Chinese equivalent Douyin, or Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle content app.
Pakistan
Pakistani authorities have temporarily banned TikTok at least four times since October 2020, citing concerns that the app promotes immoral content.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership banned TikTok and the game PUBG in 2022 on the grounds of protecting youths from «being misled».