Estonia's Information System Authority bans employees from downloading TikTok

Estonian Information System Authority (RIA) has banned its employees from downloading and installing popular Chinese video-sharing app TokTok on ir business phones. According to ncy reports, this move was made due to security considerations following suspicions of TikTok spying on its users and using ir data.

Read: TikTok Warns Of Legal Action Against US Over Trump's Executive Order

TikTok a 'security risk'

Estonian ncy banned TikTok back in June while app was at height of its popularity. At time TikTok was fourth most downloaded app in world with 2 billion downloads and 400 million active users.

RIA executive director for cybersecurity Tonu Tammer was quoted by ANI: "Looking at available data, it is clear why US sees it as a security threat. We also see problems. Evidence pointing to it being still waters that run deep is adding up,".

Estonian ncy decided to band use of TikTok by its employees after discovering that Chinese app was collecting information about its users and was also able to track people’s location and access phone’s internal data. In this regard, Tanner said, " app - in its essence - is a security risk, able to compromise device and gain access."

TikTok is designed to make and share small video clips.  Chinese app is predominantly popular among younger generation and is used by people across 160 countries with thousands of videos being shared in 75 different langus every day. app is designed in a way that based on user's previously liked videos, TikTok can predict and suggest similar videos user would like to see.

Read: China Accuses US Of 'political Manipulation' After Trump's Order Against TikTok, WeChat

US government under Trump administration has long been trying to ban and discredit TikTok along with or Chines apps. US has claimed that most Chinese apps collude with country's Communist Party-led government.

Moreover, US President Donald Trump recently signed two executive orders banning citizens as well as US companies from making certain transactions with Chinese parent companies of social media apps TikTok and WeChat -- ByteDance and TenCent.

(Input Credit AN; Im - PTI)

Read: Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Transaction With TikTok, WeChat In 45 Days

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