Premier Daniel Andrews pledges to delete TikTok after ban for government workers
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed just how he reacted to the news TikTok will be banned from government devices.
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Daniel Andrews has revealed he will delete his TikTok account as the federal government is expected to announce new national rules to clamp down on the video app.
The Victorian Premier detailed his plan on Tuesday morning amid fears the app could be being used by China to spy on officials.
Mr Andrews said his government and Victoria’s public servants would be expected to follow rules set out by the Commonwealth.
“We will deliver the national framework and what you will find over a period of time, hopefully quite soon, is that platform will not be supported and not be operated by any Victorian government device,” Mr Andrews said.
“I can’t speak to the intel and the security advice that sits behind it because I have not been briefed about it.
“The release and the discussion of that security advice will be a matter for the Commonwealth government.”
New rules will not allow TikTok on any phone or computer used by politicians and public servants, according to reports.
However, Mr Andrews said he had no advice for regular Victorians to stop using the app.
“That’s a matter for them,” he said.
“I might have a different view once I see and am briefed on the security advice that sits behind the Commonwealth government’s decision.”
The Australian government’s move to ban Tiktok from government devices follows similar moves in the US and the UK.
The app’s owner, ByteDance, has always denied it is used to spy on people.
“If confirmed, we are extremely disappointed by this decision, which, in our view, is driven by politics, not fact,” TikTok said in a statement.
“We are also disappointed that TikTok, and the millions of Australians who use it, were left to learn of this decision through the media despite our repeated offers to engage with government constructively about this policy.”
Mr Andrews has an official Tiktok account that has more than 100,000 followers.
Originally published as Premier Daniel Andrews pledges to delete TikTok after ban for government workers
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