The BBC decided to ban the use of TikTok on corporate devices for privacy and security reasons. It is the first British media organization to issue this directive – and the second in the world after Danish public television.
The BBC bans TikTok on company phones
The BBC has specified that it will continue to exploit the platform for its editorial and promotional activities. But employees won’t be able to use it. However, TikTok has always rejected any allegations of wrongdoing.
The app has been banned on official government employee phones in the UK and other countries. Such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Belgium, as well as the European Commission for its employees. However, it is still allowed to use it on personal devices.
The main concern is that the data the platform collects from company phones could be shared with the Chinese government by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, which is based in Beijing. But TikTok argues the bans are based on “misunderstandings.”
The main problem is that some ByteDance employees have been tracking the locations of some western journalists in 2022. The company says they were fired.
While TikTok repeatedly denies ever sharing data with the Chinese government, many incidents have raised questions about its reliability. For example, a video of an American user denouncing the human rights violations of Uyghur Muslims in China has been cleared. TikTok claimed it was a mistake.
This has increased the concern of governments and security experts, not convinced by the company’s reassurances. Furthermore, the fact remains that all western social networksi they are officially blocked in China.
Both former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden believe the platform should be sold to a US company. But TikTok hopes for less complex solutions.