United States President Joe Biden recently signed a bill that could potentially result in the ban of TikTok in the US if its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, fails to sell it within a year.
US lawmakers are concerned about the potential national security risks associated with the app, particularly if the Chinese government were to gain access to the data it collects.
Many countries have taken action to limit or ban TikTok, citing worries about privacy, security, or ethical issues.
Different approaches have been taken by various countries, with some implementing comprehensive restrictions and others focusing on particular features of the app or a partial ban on government devices.
Here is a list of countries that have implemented various forms of restrictions:
Countries with a complete ban
1) China
TikTok’s international version is not accessible within China. Instead, users are required to download Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, which is subject to strict content control by the Chinese Communist Party.
2) Senegal
Senegal implemented a complete ban on the application following allegations that an opposition candidate had utilised the platform to disseminate “hateful and subversive messages”. The Senegalese government has declined to restore the app until a system is created that enables them to delete individual accounts.
3) Somalia
The Somali government officially outlawed TikTok, Telegram, and 1XBet, an online betting platform, in August 2023.
4) North Korea
Access to the internet is heavily restricted for the majority of North Korean citizens. While a select few websites and apps are allowed for the privileged elite, TikTok is not included in this list.
5) Afghanistan
In April 2022, the Taliban government decided to ban TikTok, citing concerns about its influence on young people.
6) India
India banned TikTok in 2020, including on personal devices, following a border clash between China and India in 2020. The ban was prompted by concerns about data theft and the government’s claim that certain apps were stealing. Many creators migrated to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
7) Iran
TikTok, along with other globally popular social media platforms like X and Facebook, has been banned by the Islamic Republic.
8) Uzbekistan
Since July 2021, TikTok has been inaccessible in Uzbekistan due to the authorities’ claim that the app does not adhere to the country’s personal data protection laws.
Countries with a partial ban on TikTok
9) Indonesia
In October 2023, Indonesia took action against TikTok Shop, a feature of the app that enables creators to sell products to their followers, due to its violation of the country’s e-commerce laws.
10) Kyrgyzstan
In August 2023, the small country, which was once part of the Soviet Union, decided to ban TikTok. The government justified this action by stating that the application harmed the growth and well-being of children.
11) Russia
There are limitations on the content that Russians can access on TikTok, resulting in a primary focus on videos created by Russian users. Recent reports indicate that the Russian government is planning to prohibit the use of TikTok, to promote the adoption of local social media platforms among its citizens.
Countries with bans on government-owned devices
12) Australia
In April 2023, the Australian government decided to ban TikTok on their devices. However, it remains accessible on devices owned by the general public.
13) Austria
In May 2023, TikTok was banned on all devices used by government employees in Austria.
14) Canada
On 28 February, Canada banned the use of TikTok on all devices provided by the government because of concerns regarding privacy and security.
15) Denmark
In March 2023, Denmark’s Ministry of Defence decided to ban the use of the app on its employees’ work phones. Additionally, the country’s main public service broadcaster implemented specific protocols, requiring journalists to obtain special approval before using the app for reporting purposes. This action was taken in response to a warning from Denmark’s Centre for Cybersecurity.
16) Estonia
In March 2023, the use of TikTok on the work phones of state officials in Estonia was banned.
17) European Union
Employees of the European Parliament, European Commission, and E.U. Council are no longer allowed to have TikTok on their work phones, as the three main institutions of the E.U. implemented a ban.
18) France
In March of 2023, France banned the use of Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok on government employees’ mobile devices.
19) United Kingdom
In March 2023, the U.K. banned all government employees from using TikTok on government-provided mobile devices.
20) United States
The US military and US Congress have both taken action to block access to TikTok on all of their personnel’s devices.
Nearly half of the states have outright banned the app on state-owned devices, and in March 2023, the federal government followed suit.
21) Ireland
In April 2023, the Irish government implemented a ban on TikTok for use on government devices.
22) Belgium
The Belgian government announced in March 2024 the ban of the app on all government devices. TikTok remains accessible on devices not associated with government entities.
23) Taiwan
In December 2022, Taiwan implemented a ban on the usage of Chinese-made software, including TikTok, on all government devices. This decision came after a warning from the FBI.
24) Latvia
The Latvian Foreign Ministry banned the app from official company phones in March 2023.
25) Malta
In Malta, government-provided cell phones have restricted access to TikTok and other non-government applications.
