New Zealand to ban TikTok on devices with access to parliament network due to security concerns

Prime minister Chris Hipkins says New Zealand operated differently from other nations

New Zealand TikTok Ban (AP)

New Zealand has become the latest country to impose restrictions on Tiktok, announcing a ban on the video-sharing app on all devices with access to its parliament by the end of this month over international cybersecurity concerns.

The decision was informed to the country’s MPs by parliamentary service on Friday.

Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said the decision was taken after advice on risks involved from cybersecurity experts and discussions within government and with other countries.

"Based on this information the Service has determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment,” he said in an email.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealand operated differently from other nations.

“Departments and agencies follow the advice of the (Government Communications Security Bureau) in terms of IT and cybersecurity policies ... we don’t have a blanket across the public sector approach,” he said in a news conference.

New Zealand’s decision to ban Beijing-based ByteDance owned platform comes amid heightening national security concerns.

It came on the heels of a similar decision taken by major western allies following the US government’s decision to ban the app from federal devices and systems over data security concerns and is considering an outright ban on the app.

The UK government on Thursday banned the app on government phones with immediate effect over concerns that sensitive data held on official phones could be accessed by the Chinese government.

European Union and Canada also have restrictions in place for TikTok on government-issued devices due to security risks.

On Friday, Mr Gonzalez-Montero told lawmakers that the video sharing app would be removed from their corporate devices till 31 March and they will not be able to download it again on their devices.

But those who require to “perform their democratic duties” may be granted permission as an exception, he said.

He added that the failure to comply with the instructions to delete the app would restrict them from accessing the parliamentary network.

New Zealand’s both defence force and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on Friday that they have implemented the ban on work devices.

A spokesperson for the New Zealand Defence Force said in an email to Reuters the move was a “precautionary approach to protect the safety and security” of personnel.

The fears over use of Beijing-based platform stems from concerns that Chinese government could be accessing data collected from the app’s billion of users or manipulation of algorithm to push pro-China content.

TikTok has denied that its data is shared or accessed or manipulated by the Chinese government and said it believes the recent bans are based on “fundamental misconceptions”.

The company said the bans are driven by wider geopolitics, adding that it has spent more than $1.5bn on rigorous data security efforts and rejects spying allegations.

Responding to the US government’s allegations, the China’s foreign ministry said Thursday that the Washington is yet to provide evidence that TikTok threatened national security.