TikTok has become one of the most popular apps in the world, with people clamouring to share their creative videos to the file-sharing app.
However users in the US might just find that their TikTok habit is under threat, after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hinted that the Chinese app could be banned there.
‘I don’t want to get out in front of the president, but it’s something we’re looking at,’ Pompeo said on Monday when asked if the app could possibly be banned in the US, following its ban in India.
Could the UK also follow suit and ban TikTok though?
Could the UK ban TikTok?
At the moment there are no plans in the UK for TikTok to be banned.
However the app has been silenced elsewhere in the world, with India banning it and 58 other Chinese apps last week, citing security concerns.
There have been some concerns raised over the security of the app amid suggestions that it could be used to pass people’s private data to the Chinese government – although an expert has said that while it’s ‘plausible’ the UK could ban the app it seems ‘less likely’.
Social media consultant Mike Navarra has highlighted the UK’s continued involvement with Chinese company Huawei over the implementation of 5G networks in this country – saying that it shows the UK will not necessarily follow others in banning apps such as TikTok.
‘Just because the US is considering banning TikTok doesn’t mean the UK will follow suit,’ he said.
‘US anger over the UK’s decision in January to stick with Huawei equipment for 5G networks shows the UK is willing to go its own way on issues relating to China.
‘Although plausible, a TikTok ban in the UK feels less likely at this time, much to the relief of teens across the country.’
How many people use TikTok in the UK?
It’s estimated that around 4.9m people in the UK use TikTok – and this could double by next year.
Prior to the ban, India had the most TikTok downloads in the world – 190.6m – in 2019 – while the app is now believed to have around 800m users worldwide.
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