A cyber security director has called for Chinese applications such as TikTok and WeChat to be banned in Australia amid growing data concerns.
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TikTok hit out at "baseless claims" it was excessively collecting user data and had links to Chinese IP addresses after cyber security company Internet 2.0 released a report on Monday, July 18.
The social media platform is owned by Chinese company Bytedance, which is legally required to hand over information to the Chinese government if requested.
Internet 2.0 non-executive director Tom Kenyon said TikTok and WeChat should be banned in Australia.
"I just don't think we gain anything by having those companies operating apps in Australia and the risk of data flowing to the Chinese government is too great," Mr Kenyon told Australian Community Media.
India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese applications amid security concerns in June 2020.
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia have also temporarily banned TikTok in the past over concerns about inappropriate content.
An international version of TikTok is also banned in China, with an incarnation known as Douyin available for the Chinese mainland only.
Internet 2.0 accused TikTok of being "a massive security flaw waiting to happen" in an analysis of TikTok's Android application published on Monday.
The analysis found that TikTok checks a device's location once an hour, continuously requests access to contacts even if the user originally denies that request and monitors the device's unique identification details and calendar and all of the installed applications on the phone.
Mr Kenyon said TikTok's data collection goes "well beyond the information that they need to operate".
A TikTok spokesperson said Internet 2.0 has made "baseless claims" about the application, arguing the platform is "not unique in the amount of information it collects".
IN OTHER NEWS:
Earlier this month, Senator James Paterson sent a letter to TikTok, asking if ByteDance employees in China can access Australian user data under China's National Security Law.
"We have never provided Australian user data to the Chinese government, we have never been asked for Australian user data by the Chinese government, and we would not provide it if we were asked," TikTok replied.
Shivé Prema
I am a video journalist and host of the Newcastle Herald TikTok account! I spend most of my days filming and editing videos but also like to write articles as well. I'm new to Newcastle, so I like to spend my spare time exploring this city and its many beaches.
I am a video journalist and host of the Newcastle Herald TikTok account! I spend most of my days filming and editing videos but also like to write articles as well. I'm new to Newcastle, so I like to spend my spare time exploring this city and its many beaches.
