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In November 2023, Nepal banned TikTok for disrupting "social harmony." According to Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma, the app spread malicious content.
In August 2023, Somalia banned TikTok over concerns of terror-related content. According to the Somali government, terrorist groups were using platforms like TikTok and Telegram to spread "horrific images and misinformation to the public."
In December 2022, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok.
Taiwanese government devices aren't allowed to use Chinese-made software, including apps like TikTok and Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle content app.
Since October 2020, Pakistani authorities have temporarily banned TikTok at least four times, citing concerns that the app promotes immoral content.
The government put the ban in place after a deadly border clash in Himalaya between Indian and Chinese military forces.
The Taliban banned TikTok in Afghanistan in April 2022, on the grounds of protecting youths from "being misled."
In 2020, India imposed a ban on TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, including the messaging app WeChat, over privacy and security concerns.
Following several European countries, New Zealand's parliament announced a ban on TikTok on all staff devices in March 2023.
Just like many other countries, Canada banned TikTok from all government mobile devices in February 2023.
On March 13, 2024, the House of Representatives passed a bill requiring TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the platform or face a nationwide ban.
This move was also related to security considerations assessed by the country's Center for Cybersecurity.
In March 2023, Denmark's Defense Ministry banned employees from having TikTok downloaded on their work devices.
However, they do allow civil servants to use the app on professional grounds on their personal devices.
Employees will also be blocked from downloading the application in the future.
Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said the ban was based on warnings from the state security service and its cybersecurity center.
Belgium banned TikTok from the work phones of government officials in March 2023, citing worries about cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation.
While not an outright ban, Dutch officials have been told not to use TikTok since January 2023.
Eventually, the Dutch government wants all civil servants' business phones to be configured so that only apps, software, or features that have been previously authorized can be installed.
The effort, which the Senate previously opposed over free speech concerns, was approved on April 24. President Joe Biden then signed it into law. ByteDance has until January 15, 2025, to sell, or TikTok will be banned from all US app stores.
Sources: (Euronews) (Mashable) (AP News) (Deutsche Welle)
The Norwegian Parliament also banned TikTok on governmental devices in March 2023.
British government ministers were banned from using TikTok on work phones and devices in March 2023.
The ban took effect immediately but doesn't apply to the personal phones of state employees.
The ban is based on a report by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, which found "there could be a risk around how sensitive government data is accessed and used by certain platforms."
In March 2023, France joined a growing list of nations to ban the installation and use of "recreational" apps such as TikTok, Netflix, and Instagram on the work phones of civil servants.
Also in March 2023, TikTok was banned from the work phones of state officials in Estonia.
In April 2023, Australia banned the app from all federal government-owned devices over security concerns.
A statement issued by the Attorney General's Department said TikTok posed security and privacy risks due to the "extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflicts with Australian law."
However, officials could make special arrangements if they needed TikTok to perform their democratic duties.
As many countries are concerned about TikTok's security due to its ties with China, the app is facing increasing limitations and bans on a global scale. TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company ByteDance, but it insists it runs independently and doesn't share data with the Chinese government. However, many countries remain cautious about the platform, including the US, which approved legislation on April 23 that will essentially force the Chinese owner of ByteDance to sell the platform within nine months or face a countrywide ban.
Across North America, Europe, and Asia, several countries have already implemented some level of restriction on the app. Click on to discover the countries that have invoked partial or total bans on TikTok.
The US was not the first: Which countries have banned TikTok?
A number of nations are taking action against the app
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As many countries are concerned about TikTok's security due to its ties with China, the app is facing increasing limitations and bans on a global scale. TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company ByteDance, but it insists it runs independently and doesn't share data with the Chinese government. However, many countries remain cautious about the platform, including the US, which approved legislation on April 23 that will essentially force the Chinese owner of ByteDance to sell the platform within nine months or face a countrywide ban.
Across North America, Europe, and Asia, several countries have already implemented some level of restriction on the app. Click on to discover the countries that have invoked partial or total bans on TikTok.