Anthony Albanese signs off on TikTok ban on government devices after top security review

Anthony Albanese has signed off on a government-wide ban on the use of the social media app TikTok.

The ban would apply to all government and departmental issued devices operated by politicians and public servants in the wake of security concerns that it poses an espionage risk. Picture: AFP

Anthony Albanese has signed off on a government-wide ban on the use of social media app TikTok following a review by the Department of Home Affairs into the security risks of the Chinese-owned platform.

The ban will apply to all government and department-issued devices operated by politicians and public servants in the wake of security concerns that it poses an espionage risk.

It is understood state and territory governments were briefed on the ban by the Commonwealth on Monday, and are expected to follow suit with similar bans.

However, a broader ban on the app in the private domain – as is being considered in the US – would not be applied.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: David Mariuz

The Australian has confirmed that a final decision had been made to issue a ban on the app across all government-issued devices, in line with Australia’s Five Eyes intelligence network partners the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand.

The European parliament has issued a similar prohibition.

An announcement by the federal government is expected to be made on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Senior government sources confirmed that a final decision had been made, after several weeks of delay, which had prompted concerns within some levels of government that the delay had been prompted for political reasons.

Sources close to the Prime Minister have denied a deliberate delay in announcing the ban despite the recommendations of the review having been sitting with the government for several weeks.

One government source questioned whether the delay had been prompted by the Aston by-election and Labor’s desire to avoid offending sections of the significant Chinese-Australian community in the electorate.

The Australian revealed last week that senior officials within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet had raised potential diplomatic risks over the government’s security review warning that singling out TikTok could be taken as targeting Chinese companies. An internal departmental “messaging” document provided to the Prime Minister’s office, obtained by The Australian, advised that the government adopt a country “agnostic” approach to the review.

“This review risks being perceived as targeting Chinese companies,” the document, obtained under Freedom of Information, states. “Government should maintain a country and vendor agnostic approach to reviewing social media application policy.”

Home Affairs Minister Claie O’Neil instigated a security review late last year into data harvesting by social media platforms and the implications for national security and privacy.

The broader recommendations on apps other than TikTok are expected to formulate a broader policy response into the use and misuse of personal data.

Opposition cyber security spokesman James Paterson had raised concerns that Australia was at risk of being the only country among Five Eyes intelligence to have not taken concerns about TikTok seriously. The US, UK, NZ and Europe have instigated various forms of bans on TikTok from government devices over concerns that Chinese Communist Party officials could gain access to sensitive data.

The US, which last year prohibited the app from government devices, has moved closer to issuing a national ban on TikTok, with Congress considering a Bill that would allow platforms with links to foreign governments being banned.

The company has rejected security concerns and has claimed it posed no risk to Australian users.

TikTok General Manager Australia and New Zealand Lee Hunter told The Australian the company rejected claims its platform posed a security risk.

“If confirmed, we are extremely disappointed by this decision, which, in our view, is driven by politics, not by fact,” Mr Hunter 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.

“Again, we stress that there is no evidence to suggest that TikTok is in any way a security risk to Australians and we should not be treated differently to other social media platforms.

“Our millions of Australian users deserve a government which makes decisions based upon facts and which treats all businesses fairly, regardless of country of origin.”