World

Australia Bans TikTok, Says “The Ban Would Come Into Effect As Soon As Practicable”

Australia has become the last of the “Five Eyes” security partners to ban the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from its federal government’s devices.

Ban On TikTok

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement Tuesday that based on intelligence and security agencies’ advice, the ban would come into effect “as soon as practicable.”

The so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing partners — the United States, Canada, Britain, and New Zealand — have taken similar steps.

TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company Bytedance and has long maintained that it does not share data with the Chinese government. It is carrying out a project to store U.S. user data in Texas, which it says will put it out of China’s reach.

The company also disputes accusations it collects more user data than other social media companies and insists that it is run independently by its own management.

The European Parliament, European Commission, and the EU Council, the 27-member bloc’s three main institutions, have also imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices. Under the European

Parliament’s ban, which took effect last month, lawmakers and staff were also advised to remove the TikTok app from their personal devices.

India’s Ban

India imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, including the messaging app WeChat, in 2020 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.

Also read: New York: NO Coverage While Trump Surrenders, High Alert In City

In early March, the U.S. gave government agencies 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems. The ban applies only to government devices, though some U.S. lawmakers are advocating an outright ban.

China Lashed Out At US

China has lashed out at the U.S. for banning TikTok, saying it is an abuse of state power and is suppressing companies from other countries. More than half of the 50 U.S. states also have banned the app from official devices, as have Congress and the U.S. armed forces.

Shruti Chaturvedi

Recent Posts

‘In Kabul, A Cat Has More Freedom Than A Woman’: Revisiting Women’s Struggles Under The Taliban

The Taliban’s regime has since imposed over 100 laws restricting women's rights, stripping them of…

3 hours ago

PM Modi’s Gifts: A Glimpse Of India’s Cultural Heritage In Global Diplomacy

These gifts to world leaders reflect the diverse traditions, arts, and crafts of India, emphasizing…

6 hours ago

Dr Rajeshwar Singh Calls For Bold Goals To Make India A Global Power By 2047

Dr Singh stressed the importance of reaching a GDP of $15 trillion by 2047 to…

7 hours ago

Gautam Adani Faces Indictment In US: Legal Expert Vijay Aggarwal Dismisses Immediate Repercussions

Criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal weighed in on the charges against Adani. He believes the indictment…

7 hours ago

Adani Group Stocks Recover As Sensex nd Nifty Post Gains

After a major sell-off earlier in the week, Adani Group stocks, led by Ambuja Cements…

8 hours ago

Sensex Soars 1,961 Points, Nifty Gains 557 In Broad-Based Market Rally

A sharp rally in financial stocks and encouraging US labor market data fueled the uptrend.…

8 hours ago