In what can be called a live example of the domino effect, the White House on Monday amped its crackdown on Chinese apps and therefore one of the most used -apps TikTok came under the scanner. As per reports, the White House on Monday gave government agencies a 30-day period to ensure they do not have the Chinese-owned app TikTok on federal devices and systems. TikTok ban in USA comes just a day after the Candian Government banned the Chinese video-streaming and making apps from government devices owing to a threat to National Security. Interestingly, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has banned TikTok years ago citing 'national security' reasons after the India-China standoff in the Galwan valley. It means the Prime Minister of India can be called well-foresighted when he is compared to Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau.
Coming to White House TikTok ban, the decision has been taken in a bid to keep US data safe, all federal agencies must eliminate TikTok from phones and systems and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young told agencies in a guidance memorandum. Notably, Congress last year ordered the TikTok ban. Notably, US tikTok ban from government employee phones will hit a smaller percentage of the Chinese user base in America. National security concerns about China surged in recent weeks after a Chinese balloon drifted over the US.
ByteDance-owned TikTok has said the concerns are fueled by misinformation and has denied using the app to spy on Americans. The action does not affect the more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on private or company-owned devices. TikTok did not immediately comment on the White House memo. Congress in December voted to bar federal employees from using the Chinese-owned video app on government-owned devices and gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue agency directives. The vote was the latest action by US lawmakers to crack down on Chinese companies amid national security fears that Beijing could use them to spy on Americans.
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Canadian PM on TikTok ban
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was enough concern about security around the app to require the change. "This may the first step, this may be the only step we need to take," he said on Monday at a press conference near Toronto. TikTok has been criticised for its use of personal information and ties to the Chinese government. The short-form video app is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance Ltd. US federal employees were banned from using TikTok late last year, and on Monday the White House gave government agencies 30 days to scrub the app from their systems.