France prohibits civil servants from using social networks over security fears
France prohibits civil servants from using foreign social networks, including TikTok and Instagram, over security concerns related to potential espionage activities. Other countries, such as the US, Canada, Belgium, and the European Commission, have also taken similar measures.
Effective immediately, the use of foreign social networks such as TikTok, Instagram, and other popular applications on work phones will no longer be permitted for French civil servants. The Ministry of the Civil Service announced the ban as part of a growing distrust of the Chinese application, which has been accused of being used by Beijing for espionage purposes.
The ban on the use of foreign social networks by civil servants is aimed at limiting the risk of espionage and enhancing data protection, and it is expected to remain in place until sufficient cybersecurity measures are implemented.
The ban also follows similar developments worldwide with other countries such as the US, Canada, the UK, Belgium, and the European Commission, which have banned the app from official devices.