TikTok stays banned on all UK authorities telephones – regardless of ministers launching an official account, Downing Avenue has mentioned.
The ‘ukgov’ account was created final week and has thus far posted a collection of public service messages, on matters together with digital driving licences and Labour’s plan to spice up neighbourhood policing.
Quantity 10 has indicated a safety exemption has been made for the account, insisting the ban on TikTok on official authorities gadgets – which started in 2023 – stays in place.
The ban was launched after a assessment by Rishi Sunak’s authorities amid safety considerations about TikTok’s proprietor, the Beijing-based firm ByteDance.
Requested in regards to the new TikTok account, the prime minister’s official spokesman advised reporters: “We’ve always said that we keep the way in which we communicate with the public under review to make sure that we are reaching people with information on government services and how we’re improving the lives of working people, and we always keep social media practices under review.”
He added: “In line with security advice, we’ve been permitted the use of a UK government TikTok account… under specific circumstances.”
When requested in regards to the ban, the spokesman added there have been “no changes to the security policy”.
“Restrictions on the use of the app on most government devices remain in place,” he mentioned. “It was always the case that there were specific exemptions for the use of TikTok on government devices where required for work purposes, and those exemptions are only granted by security teams on a case-by-case basis and with security mitigations put in place.
“That’s what has occurred within the case of the UK Authorities TikTok account.”
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The spokesman didn’t touch upon whether or not security measures imply there are particular authorities cell gadgets designated for utilizing TikTok.
In 2022, a UK parliament TikTok account was closed down amid safety fears.
The ukgov account launch comes as Sir Keir Starmer’s authorities is striving for hotter relations with China – one of many UK’s greatest commerce and funding companions.
Its most considered video – which lists authorities pledges comparable to decreasing NHS ready occasions and constructing extra houses – has been considered simply over 12,000 occasions. The account at present has greater than 360 followers.
Amid the push to strengthen the UK’s ties with China, Overseas Secretary David Lammy will this week meet along with his Chinese language counterpart Wang Yi in London.
