European Commission bans use of TikTok on staff devices; here's why

(Image: Solen Feyissa via Unsplash)

The European Commission has banned the use of TikTok on staff devices. The executive arm of the European Union has ordered employees to remove the app from their phone.

The ban also extends to personal devices that have office apps installed.

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In a statement shared with BBC, EU spokeswoman Sonya Gospodinova said that the measure had been taken "to protect the Commission against cybersecurity threats and actions which may be exploited for cyberattacks against the corporate environment of the commission."

The commission said that all employees must remove the app, no later than March 15.

Failure to comply with the deadline means that corporate apps used by the commission will no longer work on devices with TikTok installed.

TikTok, in a statement added that it  was "disappointed" with the decision, and it was based on, "fundamental misconceptions".

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In December, last year, TikTok fired four employees who were believed to have accessed information on US journalists. The US Senate has also passed a bill to keep TikTok off government issued devices.