Australian PM urged to ban TikTok, echoing U.S. move

• By Avi Yemini

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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called upon Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to consider imposing a nationwide ban on TikTok, echoing recent moves by the United States to restrict the popular social media platform.

Dutton's call comes after a bill proposing limitations on TikTok's operations was overwhelmingly passed in the U.S. Congress's lower house.

The bill raises concerns about ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, and its alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party.

Despite Prime Minister Albanese's dismissal of the need for a similar ban in Australia, citing national sovereignty, Dutton insists that if intelligence agencies advise on security risks associated with TikTok, action must be taken.

Dutton emphasised the need for responsible action, especially concerning the platform's potential exploitation of user data. He criticized the Prime Minister's stance as weak leadership, pushing the importance of protecting Australian citizens, particularly vulnerable young users, from potential data breaches and exploitation.

While Albanese maintains that Australia makes independent decisions based on its own security assessments, concerns about TikTok's privacy breaches and data collection practices persist.

The debate intensifies amid ongoing global scrutiny of TikTok's privacy policies and its alleged involvement in Chinese espionage activities.