Analysts believe that the U.S. decision to ban TikTok might soon influence its allies, including the UK, to do the same, especially if the Trump administration maintains the ban. TikTok was shut down in the U.S. due to concerns over its parent company ByteDance’s alleged connections to the Chinese government, though ByteDance denies these claims. However, President Trump, who will soon be back in office, has expressed his intention to reverse the ban.
Historical precedents like the bans on Kaspersky and Huawei highlight how U.S. actions on national security can lead to similar measures in allied nations. In the case of Kaspersky, despite no concrete evidence of wrongdoing, its products were banned from U.S. government systems, leading to a decline in its use globally. Similarly, Huawei faced restrictions due to espionage fears, which spread to other countries following U.S. influence.
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, has already taken steps against TikTok on government devices, with Canada going as far as to halt TikTok’s operations citing security risks. This pattern suggests a potential spread of bans or restrictions.
However, Trump’s recent support for TikTok, influenced by its role in his campaign, introduces uncertainty. Emily Taylor from the Cyber Policy Journal notes that Trump’s stance could alter the outcome compared to previous tech bans. The extent to which the U.S. will push its allies to follow suit might depend on its foreign policy priorities.
Currently, the UK has no immediate plans to ban TikTok for the general public, although it was removed from parliamentary devices in 2023. UK officials, including Darren Jones, have indicated that they would only reconsider if a direct threat to UK interests is identified. Jones humorously remarked that posting videos of dancing cats does not seem like a security issue, reflecting a more relaxed view towards civilian use of the app.