Exclusive: While there is no comprehensive policy regarding the use of the app, it has been reported that the state government is currently reassessing its stance on the matter.
Amid concerns over the social video app’s links to China, the New South Wales government is contemplating prohibiting public sector employees from using TikTok on their work devices and is seeking advice from federal cybersecurity agencies.
While the federal government assesses the app’s security, the NSW electoral commission has clarified that downloading software, including TikTok, on work mobile phones is prohibited without prior authorization. Although the state government presently lacks a comprehensive policy on the download and use of the app on departmental devices, it is reportedly under review, according to Guardian Australia.
The NSW electoral commission has declined to offer an extensive public statement on its cybersecurity strategies but has confirmed that employees are not authorized to download the app without explicit approval. The agency is collaborating with Cyber Security NSW, the commonwealth’s electoral integrity assurance task force, and the ACSC.
Yasmin Catley, NSW Labor’s digital spokesperson, has criticized the Coalition for its failure to establish a comprehensive policy and has vowed to rectify it if Labor is elected to government in two weeks. She stated that “a future NSW Labor government will collaborate with our federal government counterparts to address any specific concerns.”
“I believe they will typically follow the national trend,” he stated.
Lee Hunter, the general manager of TikTok Australia, asserted that TikTok is not a Chinese company and instead is a “global” entity that stores the data of Australian users in Singapore and the United States. “The Chinese government is unable to force another sovereign state to furnish data that is held within that state’s borders,” he added.
