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The NSW government has followed in federal footsteps and announced a TikTok ban on government devices.
With concerns that the video entertainment app is collecting data that could be accessible by the Chinese government, NSW Premier Chris Minns has ruled that TikTok no longer be allowed on government devices, only two days after the same initiative was announced by the Commonwealth government on 4 April.
Minns reiterated that the ban would apply only to government devices and that individual devices were still able to use the platform, and that the decision was made based on advice issued by the federal government.
“This is about government-issued mobile phones and government-issued technology,” he said.
“And we’re doing it because that was the advice from intelligence and security agencies at the Commonwealth level, and that’s the advice I was provided by the state’s security agency in NSW.”
Once in place, government-issued devices will no longer be able to download the app, and if the app is already downloaded, it will be removed.
The recently appointed NSW Premier, who was an avid TikTok user himself with over 10,500 followers, led by example by deleting his account this morning (6 April).
“I have asked for Cyber Security NSW to issue advice to NSW government employees to implement this change as soon as possible.
“I will no longer be using TikTok,” he said.
The federal government ban disallowed the use of the TikTok app on government devices but still allowed the TikTok website to be used. Whether the same applies to the state ban has not yet been clarified.
The Service NSW website simply states that the “ban will prevent NSW government clusters and agencies from accessing and installing the TikTok application on government-issued devices”.
Minns did say that there would be specific instances where TikTok would be allowed on government devices, in the cases of business and informing the public.
“There will be cases where apps such as TikTok are needed for communication to the community — for example, public health and safety messaging,” he said.
Before an exemption is granted, however, departments will need to apply and first complete a risk assessment “in consultation with the respective chief information security officer and the chief cyber security officer”, according to the Service NSW website.
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