New ban on TikTok over security concerns: Austria

Austria will ban TikTok on government employees’ work phones due to security concerns, joining other countries such as the UK and various EU member states.

TikTok is evolving its content strategy, focusing on engaging an older audience with more complex and interactive content.

Austria has decided to join other nations, including the UK and various EU member states, in prohibiting the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from being installed on government employees’ work phones. The ban is implemented as a precautionary measure against potential security risks. However, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner clarified that the restriction would not impact the use of TikTok on private phones outside of the government network. TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, has faced scrutiny due to concerns about the potential for China’s government to access user data or further its own interests through the app.