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The European Commission announced this Thursday, February 23, that it temporarily prohibits its employees from installing the Chinese application Tik Tok on their official mobile phones for “security” reasons. The decision seeks to protect the institution from possible cyberattacks and data collection by Beijing. The move, which was criticized by Xi Jinping’s government, reflects the growing tension between the West and China.
Employees of the European Commission have until March 15 to remove the Tik Tok application from their professional phones, according to what the institution announced on Thursday, February 23. The measure also applies to workers’ personal phones that have work applications installed.
“The Commission’s Corporate Board of Directors has decided to suspend the use of the TikTok mobile application on its official devices,” said Sonya Gospodinova, spokesperson for the Community Executive.
The executive body of the European Union explained that the decision was “carefully analyzed” and has been adopted to “protect the European Commission against cybersecurity threats and against actions that can be exploited against carrying out attacks.”
The spokesman for the European Commission, Eric Mamer, stated that the institution receives cyberattacks “on a regular basis”.
The institution also fears the possible collection of data by Beijing via the Chinese application that has 125 million users in the European Union. The decision reflects growing concerns from Western authorities about the video-sharing app. Brussels, however, will “constantly” review the measure, so that in the future it could be “reversible”, Gospodinova pointed out.
Caroline Greer, a Brussels-based public policy officer for Tik Tok, tweeted that the suspension “is wrong and based on fundamental misconceptions.”
The European Commission’s suspension of TikTok on corporate devices is misguided and based on fundamental misconceptions. We have requested a meeting to set the record straight.
— Caroline Greer (@CarolineGreer) February 23, 2023
“We have requested a meeting to set the record straight,” he said, adding that Tik Tok “continues to improve” its approach to data security. The official explained that there are “three data centers in Europe to locally store user data; further reducing employee access to data; and minimizing data flows outside of Europe.”
In addition to Tik Tok, the Commission already bans the video calling app Zoom, which was accused at one point of having possible ties to the Chinese government. However, it allows other similar ones like Skype for Business or Webex.
A similar measure will be adopted by the European Council, the body of the Member States chaired by the Belgian Charles Michel. For its part, the European Parliament, one of the bodies of the EU Legislative Branch, is “evaluating all possible data violations related to the mobile application” of Tik Tok, before taking any action,” said a spokesperson for the European Parliament. .
Growing mistrust between the West and China
Europe and the United States are increasingly watching Tik Tok, fearing it is being used to promote pro-Beijing positions or gather user information, but Brussels is also concerned about respect for European content control rules.
In January, the institution met with the CEO of the Chinese company, Shou Zi Chew, whom it threatened to ban its use in the European Union if it does not prevent minors from having access to “potentially deadly videos”.
Recently, it was revealed that bytedance, the company that owns TikTok, used the social network to spy on journalists in the United States. The US Congress has already banned legislators and their employees from installing the app on their official phones. The measure was adopted in around half of the country’s states.
In early February, the Chinese government was also accused by the United States of trying to spy on the security and defense programs of the United States and several other countries with surveillance balloons.
Finally, China and the West are struggling economically in the technological arena such as semiconductor production. The United States intends to return part of the semiconductor production to its territory and limit Chinese production.
This week, Qu Qingshan, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, said his country was fighting “hostile forces,” referring to Washington.
“There is endless joy in fighting hostile forces that aim to obstruct, block and suppress China and delay or interrupt the great renewal of the Chinese nation,” he said.
With EFE and AP
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