Could TikTok Actually Be Banned in Australia?

Here’s what you need to know.

It's no secret that TikTok thrived during the coronavirus pandemic. People in lockdown turned to the video-sharing app to view hilarious skits, memes and dances.

In fact, you and your mates might have uploaded a few videos yourself, even if you only saved them to your drafts folder.

Considering the app brings us so much joy, you've probably been wondering why there's been a lot of talk recently about banning it in Australia. Let's get into it.

Why are there calls to ban TikTok in Australia?

Earlier this month, there were growing calls to ban the social media app over national security and spying concerns.

The speculation kicked off when The Herald Sun reported that a Senate committee had asked TikTok's Australian representatives to answer some security questions about the app. 

TikTok was launched by Beijing-based company ByteDance in 2018. This makes it among the first Chinese-based social media apps to find international success, with more than 1.6 million Aussie users.

Australian politicians including Prime Minister Scott Morrison have expressed concerns over its ties to China, and how secure our data on the app is.

Mr Morrison told 2GB, "I think it's right for people to have an increased awareness of where these platforms originate and the risks they present." 

Like other apps including Facebook and Instagram, TikTok collects its users' data, as well as details about you, your phone, your contacts and where you live. 

Australian National University's Security College senior adviser Katherine Mansted told the ABC that there's the risk that the Chinese Communist Party could compel TikTok to hand over this data. 

Federal MP and chairman of parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, Andrew Hastie, also told the ABC that he fears TikTok could be sharing our private information with authorities in Beijing. 

It's important to note that Australia isn't the only country talking about banning TikTok. U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken about banning the app, and India has already banned it. 

How has TikTok responded? 

TikTok Australia's general manager Lee Hunter quickly shut down the concerns, saying, "TikTok does not share information of our users in Australia with any foreign government, including the Chinese government, and would not do so if asked." 

A TikTok spokesperson also told B&T that the app's privacy practices are similar to other global technology companies.

The spokesperson said, "We will continue to drive our goal of limiting the number of employees who have access to user data and the scenarios where data access is enabled." 

@ australia pls don’t ban tiktok how am i supposed to waste my time otherwise

— chloé (@vithelovers) July 7, 2020

So, will TikTok actually be banned?

Banning TikTok in Australia definitely wouldn't be straightforward. The federal government could request the app's removal from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, but they could only do this for Aussie regions.

That means Australian users could download the app from another region's store or via a third-party source.

Plus, data that has already been handed over would remain stored.

The app has already been banned from devices used by the Australian Defence Department. 

Earlier today, it was revealed that TikTok has been asked to appear before Australia's Senate to answer questions about the app's data collection and security. Representatives from TikTok's Aussie arm have been invited to speak at a public hearing on Friday 21 August. 

With the public hearing coming up next month, we'll find out more about exactly how TikTok is using our data. 

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