Shillong, March 17: After several countries banned Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, New Zealand is set to restrict its law-makers from using the app on their devices.
The app has been an attraction of controversy in many countries including India where it has been banned over security concerns and data breach. New Zealand will ban the app from government phones and other devices issued to the Member Parliaments.
TikTok will be banned on all devices with access to the parliamentary network, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said. The ban will start from March 31.
There have been increasing international security concerns surrounding the Chinese app. An official email sent to the MPs in New Zealand read, “The decision to block the TikTok application has been made based on our own analysis and following discussion with our colleagues across government and internationally”.
Many MPs in New Zealand use TikTok and upload their videos on the internet through the app. The app is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.