TikTok suffers another blow with European Commission's ban

EU's move to ban TikTok from staff's phones underscores the growing criticism of the app around the world

European Union's executive arm, the European Commission, has issued an order to ban the use of popular Chinese app TikTok on its staff's phones due to cybersecurity concerns.

EU's move underscores the growing lobby against the social media app owned by ByteDance, the world's most valuable start-up, over concerns of its proximity to the Chinese government and hold over user data across the world.

Here is a list of countries and entities that have implemented a partial or complete ban on TikTok:

India

Banned TikTok and dozens of other apps by Chinese developers on all devices in June 2020, claiming that they were potentially harmful to the country's security and integrity.

Afghanistan

Is in talks to ban TikTok and video game PUBG, with the Taliban claiming those were leading Afghan youths "astray."

تعیین ضرب‌العجل وزارت مخابرات برای مسدودسازی اپلیکیشن‌های تیک‌تاک و پابجی
نشست مشترک وزارت مخابرات و تکنالوژی معلوماتی و مسئولان شرکت‌های مخابراتی تحت رهبری محترم الحاج مولوی نجیب الله حقانی سرپرست وزارت مخابرات و تکنالوژی معلوماتی، با حضور نمایندگان ...https://t.co/YwDroXVn6K pic.twitter.com/w9fyOeCPVC

— Ministry of Communications & IT - Afghanistan (@mcitafghanistan) September 17, 2022

Pakistan

Banned TikTok at least four times, with the latest ban running for four months till November 2022, over what the government said was immoral and indecent content on the app.

Press Release: PTA has restored the services of TikTok on assurances of the Platform to control immoral / indecent content.

— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) November 19, 2021

Taiwan

Banned TikTok and some other Chinese apps on state-owned devices and in December 2022 launched a probe into the social media app over suspected illegal operations on the island

United States

US Congress passed a bill in December 2022 to ban TikTok on federal devices. The bill is yet to be signed off on by President Joe Biden

US Educational Institutions

Boise State University, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas-Austin, and West Texas A&M University are some of the schools to ban TikTok on university devices and Wi-Fi networks

US States

Texas, Maryland, Alabama and Utah are among over 25 states that have issued orders to staff against using TikTok on government devices