Should it still be possible to install the Chinese TikTok app on government official cell phones? Many government and authorities have already spoken out in favor of a ban. At the end of February, a test was also announced in Austria. However, the public is still waiting for the results.
At ORF.at’s request, the responsible Ministry of the Interior said today that the examination by Section IV (IT and Service) was still in progress. Coordination with other ministries is also taking place. As soon as there is a decision, the result should be communicated to the media. An exact date cannot be given at the moment, according to the department.
Of days and weeks
At the end of February, the Federal Chancellery informed ORF.at that the Ministry of the Interior was currently examining “the risk situation and handling”. A result is expected in the coming days. A query in mid-March revealed that the interior department was still busy with the inspection process.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, a result can be expected in the next few weeks. It’s about technical and legal components, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior in mid-March.
Several bans already pronounced
Governments and agencies around the world are banning and banning TikTok from their employees’ cellphones, including in the US and Canada and in Europe. At the end of February, the EU Commission banned its employees from using TikTok on company cell phones and laptops.
With one billion users worldwide, TikTok is particularly popular with the younger generation. You can create short videos, an algorithm will suggest videos to watch. However, there are data protection concerns and, above all, fears that the Chinese state may have access to TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
