Key Points
- The Australian government says advice on banning TikTok on public servants’ devices has not changed.
- The US has given federal agencies 30 days to wipe the social media app.
- The decision prompted criticism from Beijing, which called it an overreach.
The Australian government says intelligence agencies have not called for TikTok to be banned on government devices, despite major allies limiting public servants’ use of the social media app over security concerns.
The prompted criticism from Beijing on Wednesday, and led the Coalition to question why Australia was yet to follow suit.
Employees at US federal agencies have been given 30 days to wipe TikTok from their work devices over fears its parent company ByteDance may be harvesting personal data for the Chinese government.
TikTok has previously stated it has never shared Australian data with the Chinese government, and that its security teams minimise the number of people who have access to data.
Employees of nine federal Australian bodies – eight departments and the CSIRO – have reportedly already ordered their employees to remove the app from their work devices.
But speaking to the ABC on Wednesday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government had yet to receive advice recommending a blanket ban.
“We [are] aware of the announcement the Americans made overnight. No doubt our colleagues in the agencies will be considering that and factoring that into their own thinking. But the advice to us hasn’t yet changed,” he said.
The US decision sparked a sharp response from Beijing. Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning accused the US of “over-stretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress foreign companies”.
“How unsure of itself can the world’s top superpower be to fear a young person’s favourite app to such a degree?” she said.
“The US government should respect the principles of market economy and fair competition, stop suppressing the companies and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies in the US.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS
This week, Canada also announced a ban on all civil servants using TikTok on their government-issued phones, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau citing security risks.
“Many Canadians, from businesses to private individuals, will reflect on the security of their own data and perhaps make choices in consequence,” he told reporters.
Speaking to SBS News, Opposition cyber security spokesperson James Paterson said TikTok was “beholden” to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and, because it was subject to Chinese national security laws, was required to share data if told to do so.
Senator Paterson said it was unclear what private and sensitive information had already been “handed over to Chinese intelligence agencies”.
“We are now falling behind our like-minded friends and allies who are taking concrete action to protect their citizens and their government users from these very serious cyber security risks,” he said.
While accepting only Labor had access to up-to-date security advice, Senator Paterson said it was “incumbent on the government” to explain why it had yet to impose a full ban for federal devices.
“Only the government is in possession of the most up-to-date national security advice that will allow them to make that decision. But if our friends and allies are making those decisions, there would have to be a very good reason for Australia not to follow suit,” he said.
Nigel Phair, from the UNSW Institute of Cyber Security, described the US decision as an “overreach,” urging the Australian government to view the app through the prism of personal freedom and enjoyment.
He suggested separating work and personal phones as a potential avenue to mitigate the risk.
“I think politicians, and indeed a lot of people in corporate life, should divide their personal online environment with their work one,” he told SBS News.
“In fact, there’s a lot of benefits to be had from online social media, both professional and personal, but it’s probably a good idea to keep them separate.”
Mr Phair called for more nuance in public discussion over “what it means to be online” – and to what extent people are willing to have their personal information tracked.
He said social media companies collecting personal information was nothing new, but warned the development of artificial intelligence (AI) would enable states and companies to target data more effectively.
“Rather than singling out one player, I think we need to have that bigger conversation,” he said.
With additional reporting by AAP.
