TikTok: Tugendhat launches probe over China security concerns amid calls to follow US and EU by banning it
Security fears over social media video app TikTok are being investigated by a top cyber watchdog, the government has confirmed.
Minister Tom Tugendhat told Sky News he had asked the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to look into concerns over the app, which is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance.
He told the broadcaster: “Understanding exactly what the challenges these apps pose, and what they’re asking for and how they’re reaching into our lives is incredibly important.
“That’s why I’ve asked the NCSC to look into this. I haven’t yet had an answer.”
It comes after the EU and the US have both made moves to ban the app from secure government devices.
However, the Times reported on Sunday ministers were set to recommend a ban on UK government-issued devices.
A government spokesperson did not deny the reports when asked by CityAM.
What are the security concerns over TikTok?
Tugendhat also told Sky he did not personally have TikTok on his phone.
But the app has been popular among some government figures as a means of connecting with younger voters.
“There are many different apps that you can load onto your phone,” he said. “I haven’t personally loaded TikTok for many reasons you can probably guess.”
Asked whether he would have any “qualms” about recommending a ban, Tugendhat said: “Different countries have taken different approaches.
“For many young people TikTok is now a news source.
“Just as Its quite right we know who owns the news sources in the UK, it’s important we know who owns the news sources that feed into our phones and TikTok is one of them.”
TikTok previously told this newspaper it takes national security concerns very seriously and described moves by governments and officials to ban the app as “disappointing” and “based on basic misinformation about our company”.