Australia bans TikTok on government devices

Using TikTok on government-provided devices is now banned in Australia, as the country joins the growing list of nations issuing similar prohibitions against the video-sharing platform.

Under the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) Direction 001-2023, entities must prevent the installation and remove existing instances of the TikTok application on government devices.

The direction was published after the announcement made by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on Tuesday.

"After receiving advice from intelligence and security agencies, today I authorised the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to issue a mandatory direction under the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) to prohibit the TikTok app on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies," Dreyfus said in the announcement. "The direction will come into effect as soon as practicable."

Ban exemptions

Exemptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis, according to the attorney-general.

It will be the responsibility of the entity's chief security officer to approve the use of TikTok on government devices, according to the PSPF direction. It is also their duty to ensure the following mitigations are in place to manage security risks:

• Ensure the TikTok application is installed and accessed only on a separate, standalone device without access to services that process or access official and classified information
• Ensure the separate, standalone device is appropriately stored and secured when not in use
• Ensure metadata has been removed from photos, videos, and documents when uploading any content to TikTok
• Minimise, where possible, the sharing of personal identifying content on the TikTok application
• Use an official generic email address (for example, a group mailbox) for each TikTok account
• Use multi-factor authentication and unique passphrases for each TikTok account
• Ensure that devices that access the TikTok application are using the latest available operating system in order to control individual mobile application permissions
• Only install the TikTok application from trusted stores such as Microsoft Store, Google Play Store, and the Apple App Store
• Ensure only authorised users have access to corporate TikTok accounts and that access (either direct or delegated) is revoked immediately when there is no longer a requirement for that access.
• Carefully and regularly review the terms and conditions, as well as application permissions with each update, to ensure appropriate risk management controls can be put in place or adjusted as required
• Delete the TikTok application from devices when access is no longer needed.

Growing TikTok bans

Australia's announcement makes it the latest nation to ban TikTok on government devices.

Prior to Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and the European Union have also restricted the use of TikTok on government devices.

The restrictions come amid alleged cybersecurity concerns that TikTok is harvesting user information that can be accessed the by Chinese government, an accusation that the video-sharing platform denied.

Reacting to Australia's ban, TikTok told Reuters that it is "extremely disappointed" by the decision, adding that it was "driven by politics, not by fact."