The United States (US) has asked Chinese company ByteDance to either sell its TikTok app to an American buyer or be banned. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that could lead to the banning of the short video-sharing app in the US within a year.
US lawmakers have expressed concern about the national security risks associated with the app’s potential data exposure to the Chinese government. However, they are not the first to impose restrictions on the popular app.
Several countries have implemented bans or restrictions on TikTok due to privacy, security, or moral concerns. Some have complete blanket bans, while others have targeted specific features or aspects of the app. Here’s a breakdown of the countries where the app is banned.
Countries with blanket ban on TikTok
India
India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps on June 29, 2020 over privacy and security concerns following a military clash between the two countries. TikTok wanted a chance to address the Indian government’s concerns but it was permanently banned in January 2021. TikTok had its largest user in India at that time.
Afghanistan
TikTok, along with PUBG, was banned by Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership in 2022 to protect the youth from being “misled”.
Iran
The Islamic Republic prohibits TikTok and other popular international social media platforms.
China
The international version of TikTok is not allowed in China. Instead, users can use “Douyin”, the Chinese version of the app, subject to censorship.
North Korea
Access to the internet is heavily restricted in North Korea. TikTok is not among the permitted websites or apps in the country.
Uzbekistan
Since July 2021, TikTok has been unavailable in Uzbekistan due to non-compliance with the country’s personal data protection laws.
Countries with partial ban on TikTok
Indonesia
TikTok Shop, a feature allowing creators to sell products, was banned in Indonesia in October 2023 for violating e-commerce laws.
Access to TikTok was restricted earlier this month due to concerns over the platform’s compliance with child protection laws. Local media reports stated that the Ministry of Digital Development sent letters to internet providers to block the app. However, it is still accessible through some providers, albeit with difficulties and interruptions reported by users.
Russia
Russia imposes restrictions regarding the type of content that can be viewed on the social media platform. In 2022, it banned all international content on TikTok and only allowed historical content uploaded by Russian accounts, as well as content made by state-backed media services, to stay online.
TikTok banned from government-owned devices
Australia
TikTok was banned from all Australian federal government-owned devices on April 4 over security and privacy risks, according to the Attorney General’s Department. A statement by the department cited risks associated with “extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflicts with Australian law.”
Estonia
Outgoing information technology minister Kristjan Jarvan, at the end of March this year, said TikTok will be banned from smartphones issued by the state to public officials.
United Kingdom
On March 16, the United Kingdom announced an immediate ban of TikTok on government official devices based on cybersecurity concerns outlined in a report by the National Cyber Security Centre.
European Union institutions
The European Parliament, Commission, and Council banned TikTok on staff devices, citing cybersecurity concerns. The ban went into effect from March 20. The European Parliament “strongly recommended” that the app be removed from personal devices belonging to its members and staff.
The Netherlands
The Dutch Interior Ministry discouraged the use of apps from countries with “aggressive cyber programmes”. TikTok was not named but fell under the warning. The country plans to configure government-owned devices so that only authorised applications can be installed and used.
“The central government must be able to do its work securely, including via its mobile devices,” said Alexandra van Huffelen, the Dutch Minister for Digitalisation, on March 21.
Belgium
TikTok was banned from devices owned or paid for by Belgium’s federal government for at least six months due to cybersecurity and privacy concerns, on March 10. “The safety of our information must prevail,” said Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
Denmark
Denmark’s Defense Ministry on March 5, banned TikTok on official units due to cybersecurity risks assessed by the Centre for Cyber Security.
Canada
Canada banned TikTok from all government-issued devices, citing privacy and security risks, on February 28. At the time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that further action may or may not follow.
New Zealand
New Zealand banned TikTok from government lawmakers’ phones on March 17 due to security concerns. However, this ban does not extend to all government employees, it only applies to around 500 people in the parliamentary complex.
Taiwan
In Taiwan, a public sector ban on TikTok was imposed in December 2022, due to national security risks highlighted by the FBI.
Government owned devices are not allowed to use Chinese-owned software.
Malta
Non-government applications including TikTok are blocked from government-provided cell phones in Malta.
France
On March 24, France banned “recreational” apps like TikTok from the work phones of civil servants due to cybersecurity and data protection concerns. This does not apply to personal phones or devices.
Norway
Norway’s parliament banned TikTok from work devices on March 23 following warnings from the Justice Ministry regarding security risks.
Latvia
TikTok is prohibited on work phones in Latvia’s Foreign Ministry as of March 2023.
Countries that had temporarily banned TikTok
Azerbaijan
TikTok was temporarily blocked during Azerbaijan’s border clashes with Armenia in September 2022 and again one year later due to “anti-terrorist measures.” It was restored on October 1, 2023.
Bangladesh
In August 2021, a Bangladeshi court ordered the removal of TikTok and other apps from the country’s app store to “save children and adolescents from moral and social degradation.” TikTok was later allowed to return with content moderation aligned with Bangladesh’s cultural sensibilities.
Pakistan
TikTok has faced temporary bans in Pakistan multiple times since October 2020, with authorities citing concerns over immoral content. It was banned at least four times, before the decision was overturned.
Countries TikTok is facing ban
United States
The US House of Representatives passed a bill on March 13 requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok or face a nationwide ban. ByteDance had stated that it planned to settle this in court as the ultimatum handed to them was “unconstitutional”. However, this may be difficult as the bill has now been approved and signed into law by President Biden.
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