Australia: Push for government ban on TikTok as politicians use staff’s phones

As a Chinese-owned company, TikTok is subject to Chinese national security laws. Photo / AP

Politicians are using burner phones or their staff members’ devices to access TikTok, as pressure mounts on the Australian government to enact a total ban of the Chinese-owned app on all government devices.

The opposition’s spokesman for cybersecurity and foreign interference, James Paterson, said the government should not only ban the app on official devices, but extend that to better protections for all Australian users.

A security review of social media, commissioned by Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, has been handed down and is expected to recommend Australia follows the UK, United States, and New Zealand in enacting a government-wide ban.

Critics, including Patterson, say the app poses significant national security risks, given TikTok is owned by a Chinese company subject to Chinese national security laws.

As it stands, the Chinese government could request TikTok hand over data without the user – or TikTok Australia – necessarily being made aware.

“I don’t use TikTok because I regard it as a serious national security threat, but the advice federal parliamentarians have received in the past is one of the ways to mitigate or reduce the risk, but not eliminate it, is to have TikTok on a separate phone to your normal phone that has your emails and other sensitive materials,” Paterson said.

“But that doesn’t work for millions of Australians, they’re not all going to get a second phone – we need protections for them too.”

While O’Neil has received the review and is considering its recommendations, it’s understood any decision around deleting the app would need to be made through the Attorney-General’s office.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten, who has 12,300 followers, said he had deleted the app from his phone and uses a staff member’s phone to upload videos.

He said he used TikTok to share “good news” stories about people with disabilities and engage with voters.

“There is a serious issue, and the government is reviewing the social media platforms, but there is no ban in place,” he told 9News.

“As a personal decision, I have taken the app off my particular government-issued phone, but there is no formal ban in place.”

TikTok say that like many other private sector organisations, the government has policies that may restrict the use of certain social media apps on official devices.