Parliament

Due to security concerns, New Zealand announced on Friday that it would restrict the usage of the video-sharing platform TikTok on devices connected to the nation’s parliamentary network. With this decision, New Zealand joined a growing list of countries that have restricted TikTok on devices used by the government.

Global worries have grown over the possibility that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent business, could give the Chinese government access to users’ contact information and location information.

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The seriousness of those worries was highlighted earlier in the week when the Biden administration insisted that TikTok’s Chinese owners sell their holdings or risk having the app banned in the United States. By the end of March, all devices in New Zealand with network connectivity to the parliament will be prohibited from using TikTok.

Rafael Gonzalez-Montero, the chief executive of the Parliamentary Service, explained in an email to Reuters that the choice was made following consultations with cybersecurity professionals, talks within the government, and consultations with other nations. He stated, “Based on this information, the Service has determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment.”

For those who need the app to perform their job responsibilities, special accommodations can be made, he continued. New Zealand operates differently from other countries, according to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who was speaking at a press conference.

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

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand Defense Force both announced on Friday that they had already enacted bans on TikTok on work devices. A New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson told Reuters in an email that the action was taken as a “precautionary approach to protect the safety and security” of the personnel.

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On Thursday, Britain immediately prohibited the app from being used on government smartphones. The app must be removed from authorized devices by U.S. government organizations by the end of March.

In response to a query regarding the TikTok bans from Britain and New Zealand, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated that the two nations should “stop over-extending and abusing the concept of national security, and provide a fair and non-discriminatory environment to companies from all countries.”