The European Commission has temporarily barred employees from using TikTok on their corporate phones, citing security concerns.
The agency is the first institution in the European Union to announce a TikTok ban.
The measure intends to protect the commission — the EU's executive arm — from security threats that could lead to cyberattacks, a spokesperson said.
- The agency has given staff until March 15 to delete TikTok from their work devices, as well as any personal devices that use work-related apps and services.
- About 32,000 permanent and contract employees work for the commission.
- Likewise, the U.S. federal government and some states have already banned the app from government devices, citing concerns that data could be shared with China's government.
- TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance. Recently, TikTok admitted that it used its app to spy on journalists to uncover insider sources of leaks.
