Belgium has joined the list of European countries that have banned the use of TikTok on official phones. On March 10th, the Belgian Prime Minister announced that federal officials are prohibited from using TikTok on work phones due to concerns over sensitive user data being accessed by authorities in Beijing.
This move comes after several national governments in Europe have already restricted the use of TikTok for their employees. The European Union (EU) has also urged authorities to remove the app from work smartphones and laptops in recent weeks.
A spokesperson for TikTok expressed disappointment with the suspension and stated that the ban is based on misinformation about the company. The spokesperson emphasized that TikTok is not a Chinese company and its parent company is established outside of China and majority-owned by global institutional investors. The spokesperson also assured that user data is not stored in China.
The ban on TikTok is part of growing concerns around the use of Chinese apps and the access they may provide to sensitive user data. As more countries take action against these apps, it remains to be seen whether TikTok will be able to regain access to official phones in Belgium and other European countries.