https://sputnikglobe.com/20230901/uks-new-defense-minister-shapps-vows-not-to-bring-tiktok-into-government-buildings-1113054828.html
UK’s New Defense Minister Shapps Vows Not to Bring TikTok Into Government Buildings
UK’s New Defense Minister Shapps Vows Not to Bring TikTok Into Government Buildings
Sputnik International
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pick to head the Defense Ministry, Grant Shapps, has vowed not to bring devices with the TikTok social media app into government buildings or to put the app on government-owned devices.
2023-09-01T16:06+0000
2023-09-01T16:06+0000
2023-09-01T16:06+0000
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united kingdom (uk)
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An avid user of the app as part of his public relations efforts, the MP for Welwyn Hatfield has said he will abide by the government’s restrictions out of respect for “security concerns,” but doubled down on its utility for reaching the masses.In March, Sunak’s government clamped down on the use of TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, by banning civil servants and government officials from downloading the app onto their phones. Shapps fired back, saying that he would not be deleting his official account because politicians who choose not to engage with the public on the platforms they use “are unlikely to continue to represent these voters for long.”However, according to UK media, Shapps has not had the app on his personal phone at least as far back as last year, when he bought a new device, and the account is run by his staff, not him.Shapps, who has held four different ministerial posts this year, was appointed by Sunak to head the Defense Ministry after Ben Wallace retired from the position after four years of service. While Wallace was a former soldier, Shapps has never been in the military and is seen by his Conservative Party as an effective political communicator. According to UK media, the move is likely part of Sunak’s preparations for a general election next year.
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uk defense ministry; grant shapps; tiktok ban
uk defense ministry; grant shapps; tiktok ban
UK’s New Defense Minister Shapps Vows Not to Bring TikTok Into Government Buildings
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pick to head the Defense Ministry, Grant Shapps, has vowed not to bring devices with the TikTok social media app into government buildings or to put the app on government-owned devices.
An avid user of the app as part of his public relations efforts, the MP for Welwyn Hatfield has said he will abide by the government’s restrictions out of respect for “security concerns,” but doubled down on its utility for reaching the masses.
“Grant knows that TikTok can be a valuable tool for communicating with his constituents,” a spokesperson for Shapps told UK media on Friday, adding that “Aware of security concerns, he doesn't have the app on his phone and the account is instead managed by his constituency staff.”
In March, Sunak’s government clamped down on the use of TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, by
banning civil servants and government officials from downloading the app onto their phones. Shapps fired back, saying that he would not be deleting his official account because politicians who choose not to engage with the public on the platforms they use “are unlikely to continue to represent these voters for long.”
However, according to UK media, Shapps has not had the app on his personal phone at least as far back as last year, when he bought a new device, and the account is run by his staff, not him.
Hysteria has swept parts of the West over the use of Chinese technology, including apps like TikTok as well as Chinese-made smartphones and internet hardware, following claims that the tech poses a “security risk” because of the makers’ connections to the Chinese government. Firms have repeatedly rejected and disproven accusations that their products contain secret “backdoors” to allow the Communist Party of China to spy on users, or that they collect a larger or different amount of data about users than other, Western-made apps do.
Shapps, who has held four different ministerial posts this year, was appointed by Sunak to head the Defense Ministry after
Ben Wallace retired from the position after four years of service. While Wallace was
a former soldier, Shapps has never been in the military and is seen by his Conservative Party as an effective political communicator. According to UK media, the move is likely part of Sunak’s preparations for a general election next year.
