LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hinted that Chinese app TikTok could be banned on all British government phones.
It would mark a U-turn from London after it initially resisted pressure to follow the EU and U.S. in announcing such a move.
In an interview during a trip to the U.S., the BBC asked Sunak if the social media app would be banned on government devices. “We take security of devices seriously,” he responded. “We look also at what our allies are doing. And we’re in the process of doing all of that.”
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that there has been a rethink in the U.K. after experts at intelligence agency GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Center assessed the app and found risks to sensitive information.
Critics of China argue Beijing could demand tech firms such as TikTok owner ByteDance hand over information. TikTok, whose parent company is headquartered in Beijing, has repeatedly said it doesn’t share data with China, pointing out that its data centers are located in other countries.
Last month, British digital minister Michelle Donelan told POLITICO the U.K. would not impose a ban on government officials using the app.
“I think that’s a personal choice,” she said in an interview. “As a Conservative, I strongly believe in personal choice.”
Asked about a possible ban on Monday morning, a spokesman for Sunak refused to “speculate” on security matters.
