‘We don’t want TikTok in our work devices’: Swedish Armed Forces

Swedish military authorities have banned personnel from using the Chinese TikTok application on official mobile phones and tablets. This information has been reported by RIA Novosti, citing France Presse.

“The use of mobile phones and tablets can pose security threats, so we don’t want TikTok in our work devices,” quoted the press secretary of the Swedish Armed Forces, Guna Graufeldt.

The decision was made based on information from open sources that the application processes user data and information about the activities of its owner, ByteDance.

Last week, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security advised officials to refrain from installing TikTok and Telegram on official devices due to security concerns. Previously, it was reported that the Danish Ministry of Defense had prohibited employees from using the Chinese TikTok on official phones and other devices.

A similar ban on the use of TikTok on official mobile phones by public servants had previously been enacted in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and several U.S. states. For “security reasons,” the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the EU Council have also decided to cease the use of TikTok on corporate devices.