Dec 31, 2019 - World

Army bans TikTok from government-owned phones

Ursula Perano

The TikTok app — Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images

The Army has banned its soldiers from using TikTok on government-owned phones, calling the Chinese-owned video app a cyber threat, reports Military.com.

Why it matters: The move, coupled with the Navy's similar decision earlier this month, highlights how seriously the military and government are taking TikTok's potential national security implications.

The Department of Defense has issued guidance telling its employees not to use the app, and lawmakers have called for investigations into its security.
Troops will still be allowed to use the app on their personal devices, though officials have warned military personnel to be careful about divulging personal information.
Military.com said it remains unclear if the Air Force or Marine Corps have taken similar action against TikTok.

Of note: The Army announced an advertising campaign last month designed to recruit members of Generation Z that utilized outreach via TikTok.

The other side: TikTok says that its "user data is stored and processed in the U.S. and other markets where TikTok operates at industry-leading third-party data centers. It’s important to clarify that TikTok does not operate in China and that the government of the People's Republic of China has no access to TikTok users' data."

Go deeper: TikTok is China's next big weapon

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Army bans TikTok from government-owned phones

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