TikTok has been banned on all Australian government devices over fears the Chinese app could be used for spying. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed off on the ban after a security review was conducted by the Department of Home Affairs. As part of the ban, TikTok will not be allowed on any phone or computer used by politicians and public servants. The move follows similar decision by the US and UK governments. The US is also considering a general ban of the app for its citizens. Such a ban is not being considered in Australia and Australians will still be allowed to use TikTok on their phones. ByteDance, which owns TikTok, has expressed extreme disappointment by the decision and denied its app could be used to spy on people.
This segment was created for the It’s 5:05 podcast