Finish it tik tak from the office phones of their federal government employees Belgiumafter the decision of the National Security Council of the country, the publication reports Le Soir.

The National Security Council considered the matter after several inquiries, including from Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, to the intelligence agencies. Both State Security and the Belgian Cyber ​​Security Center have warned that “TikTok collects a lot of data from users, often without their knowledge”, can manipulate the news feed and content through algorithms, while Chinese law obliges TikTok to cooperate. with Chinese intelligence agencies, Suar points out.

“Let’s not be naive” with TikTok

“We are in a new geopolitical context where influence and surveillance between states have shifted to the digital world. Do not be naive: TikTok is a Chinese company that today is obliged to cooperate with the special services. This is the reality,” says the Belgian Prime Minister, adding that “banning the app on federal devices is common sense. This decision was made with the support of the State Security and the Belgian Cyber ​​Security Centre. The security of our sensitive information takes precedence.”

Specifically, the ban applies to all devices purchased, subscribed, or used in whole or in part by the federal government and will be in effect for six months, after which a re-evaluation will take place. Personal devices used by civil servants for official purposes do not fall under the ban, but such people are advised not to install the application, the newspaper notes. Meanwhile, the National Security Council is calling on regional, provincial and local governments to implement a similar ban and is calling on the private sector to be vigilant about the risks associated with using the app, and is asking the Data Protection Authority to look into the privacy policy. from TikTok.

^{Source: APE-MEB}