BBC urges staff to ditch TikTok as more countries place restrictions on the app

The British broadcasting giant BBC has told its staff to avoid using Tik Tok. In a message to employees, BBC said, "We don't recommend installing TikTok on a BBC corporate device unless there is a justified business reason."
"If you do not need TikTok for business reasons, TikTok should be deleted," it added.

The U.K on Thursday announced a security ban on TikTok on government devices. The order came into effect following a review by British cybersecurity experts. U.K's action is in line with action by the European Union and the United States.

Western authorities have been becoming increasingly cautious about the app, owned by the firm ByteDance, citing fears that user data could be used or abused by Chinese officials.

After India, which was one of the first nations to ban TikTok and other Chinese apps back in 2020, a slew of other nations have clamped down on the app.

Here's a list of countries that have put restrictions on TikTok:

New Zealand: Due to growing cybersecurity concerns, New Zealand on March 17 declared that it would ban TikTok on devices connected to its parliamentary network.

Belgium: On March 10 Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo declared that his country's government had decided to prohibit TikTok from being used on official cell phones.

European Union: On Feburary 28 EU put out a ban on TikTok, employees are not permitted to download TikTok on their company-issued phones at any of the EU's three major organisations, including the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the EU Council.

Denmark: On March 6, the Defense Ministry announced a ban on "the use of the app on official units" after the country's foreign intelligence agency determined there was a risk of espionage.

United States: Earlier in March, the office of President Joe Biden gave government agencies 30 days to remove the app from equipment used by the federal government. Furthermore, it has warned that TikTok will be entirely banned if the Chinese owners of the social media platform do not sell their shares in it.

Canada: Shortly after the US government made its statement, Canada also issued directives outlawing the use of TikTok on equipment used by the federal government.