This European Commission (EC) asks employees to remove Chinese video platform TikTok Corporate and personal mobile phones, where they use business applications for fear of protection data.
“To protect and increase the Commission’s data cyber securityThe EC Board of Directors has decided to suspend TikTok implementation on corporate and personal devices registered with the Commission’s mobile device services until March 15 as the deadline for the removal of TikTok.
close to 125 million people European Union (EU) accesses TikTok every month. Platform owned by the Chinese giant byte dancehas become a global phenomenon in recent years, popularizing vertical videos and becoming the sixth most consumed digital app in the world in record time. But that success went hand in hand with suspicions that China could use TikTok as a window of opportunity. espionage to their competitors. This claim United States of America or Taiwan’s ban on authorities’ use in their electronic devices, a path that European countries have yet to follow.
Access to European data
European Commissioner of Industry, Thierry Bretonexpressed this concern to justify the move. And last November, TikTok admitted that its employees in China and nine other countries have access to the personal data of European users; your platform.
Despite this, TikTok’s statements do not seem to have fully convinced European officials, especially after Forbes revealed that company employees were using the app for this purpose. spy to reporters.
A TikTok spokesperson said the company is committed to “minimizing its users’ data flows outside of Europe”, adding that “We are disappointed with this decision, which we believe is wrong and based on fundamental misunderstandings.”
Currently, European users’ data is stored on servers located in the USA and Singapore. Reducing fears of breaches of privacy and regulatory editionTikTok announced last week that it will launch a total of three hubs. data —two in Ireland and a third in another part of the European region — “to store user data locally and further reduce employee access to it.”
On January 10, TikTok’s CEO said, Shou Zi Chewmet with European officials to try to send a message of calm that seemed permanent. “There can be no doubt that user data in Europe is secure and not subject to illegal access by third country authorities,” said the then European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Values and Transparency. Vera Jourova. The measure announced today confirms that TikTok does not yet have the full confidence of Brussels.