European Commission bans TikTok on staff phones
The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You are reading Entrepreneur Europe, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
According to popular video-sharing app TikTok, more than 150 million people across Europe use the platform every month. However, from soon none of them will be employed by the European Commission. Citing privacy concerns, the political body is giving its employees until March 15 to remove the app, which is owned by China's ByteDance. This decision extends to the use of the platform on corporate devices and personal devices enrolled in the Commission's mobile device system.
“This measure is intended to protect the Commission against cybersecurity threats and actions that could be exploited for cyberattacks against the Commission's corporate environment. Developments in the security of other social media platforms will be also constantly monitored," a statement said.
The ban comes amid growing tensions between Beijing and the West and follows a similar ban implemented for congressional officials in the United States in December. TikTok, meanwhile, has released statements reiterating its aim “to build trust with our community by demonstrating to them that their data is secure” after releasing a Europe-wide data governance strategy last year aimed at reduce employee access to and store European user data. data locally. Since the Commission announced the measure, TikTok has issued a statement calling it "misguided" and reaffirming its commitment to data security.
The data on your employees' phones may not have quite the same national security implications as those on Commission staff members' devices, but protecting them remains a top concern for any small business owner. Remember to encourage employees to use passwords on all devices on which they conduct work and business communications and are trained to recognize potential security threats, such as phishing scams. On company-provided devices, ensure there is a “wipe” capability that can be activated remotely in the event of a lost or stolen phone and that your technical staff keep all devices up to date with the latest security patches, updates, and software.
The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You are reading Entrepreneur Europe, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
According to popular video-sharing app TikTok, more than 150 million people across Europe use the platform every month. However, from soon none of them will be employed by the European Commission. Citing privacy concerns, the political body is giving its employees until March 15 to remove the app, which is owned by China's ByteDance. This decision extends to the use of the platform on corporate devices and personal devices enrolled in the Commission's mobile device system.
“This measure is intended to protect the Commission against cybersecurity threats and actions that could be exploited for cyberattacks against the Commission's corporate environment. Developments in the security of other social media platforms will be also constantly monitored," a statement said.
The ban comes amid growing tensions between Beijing and the West and follows a similar ban implemented for congressional officials in the United States in December. TikTok, meanwhile, has released statements reiterating its aim “to build trust with our community by demonstrating to them that their data is secure” after releasing a Europe-wide data governance strategy last year aimed at reduce employee access to and store European user data. data locally. Since the Commission announced the measure, TikTok has issued a statement calling it "misguided" and reaffirming its commitment to data security.
The data on your employees' phones may not have quite the same national security implications as those on Commission staff members' devices, but protecting them remains a top concern for any small business owner. Remember to encourage employees to use passwords on all devices on which they conduct work and business communications and are trained to recognize potential security threats, such as phishing scams. On company-provided devices, ensure there is a “wipe” capability that can be activated remotely in the event of a lost or stolen phone and that your technical staff keep all devices up to date with the latest security patches, updates, and software.
What's Your Reaction?
