On Friday, the government of Kosovo decided to ban the installation, use, and operation of the social media app TikTok in all public institutions. This measure was taken with the aim of enhancing cybersecurity in the country.
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Presenting the proposal, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Bardhyl Dobra emphasized that all public institutions that own and manage state communication networks are required to implement the necessary technical restrictions to prohibit the operation of TikTok in official environments and devices. This decision is in line with the law on cybersecurity and aims to protect Kosovo's state institutions against potential cyber threats and attacks.
The Kosovo government stated that this move aligns with actions taken by allied states and aims to safeguard the country's information and communication technology infrastructure from cyber threats that could be exploited for cyberattacks against Kosovo's institutions.
In April of this year, the U.S. Senate approved a bill that will compel the Chinese owner of ByteDance to sell the U.S. branch of TikTok within nine months or face a ban on the app in the United States. This bill was driven by concerns that China might access or spy on American users' data through the TikTok app.
In response, TikTok executives have asserted that they have not shared and will not share American user data with the Chinese government, emphasizing that such a ban would violate users' freedom of expression rights in the United States.
The European Union has also banned the use of TikTok in its institutions, and similar bans have been implemented in many countries within and outside the bloc. This global trend indicates a shared concern for data security and user privacy in the digital age.
The decision by the Kosovo government to ban TikTok in public institutions is a significant step towards enhancing cybersecurity and protecting the data of the country's citizens and institutions. As other countries take similar measures, this move reflects a global effort to safeguard information and ensure a secure digital environment for all.