TikTok banned on Australian government-owned phones

The Australian government is removing TikTok from all federal government-owned devices due to concerns about national security, Reuters reports. The ban is set to take effect as soon as possible, with exemptions considered on a case-by-case basis, according to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, is considered a risk to Western security due to concerns that user data could be harvested to advance China's political agenda. The ban risks souring diplomatic relations with Beijing which have improved somewhat since Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese became prime minister last May. The move puts Australia in line with the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, consisting of Australia, Canada, the U.K., New Zealand, and the U.S., and follows similar bans in Belgium, France, and the European Commission. TikTok said it was "extremely disappointed" by the decision and accused Australia of being "driven by politics, not by fact." TikTok has been criticized globally over concerns about potential Chinese influence over the platform and its impact on children.