Justice Minister Simon Harris has said that he has not received any advice to remove TikTok from official government devices, even as other Western governments move to remove the app due to security concerns.
In recent weeks the UK and US governments have both banned the Chinese social media app from all official government devices, as have the European Commission, the European Parliament and European Council. In addition, Australia and Canada has banned the app from government-issued phones.
Additionally, this week BBC News in the UK urged staff to delete TikTok from any company devices.
All countries cited cybersecurity concerns with the Chinese-owned platform.
However, speaking to RTÉ News, Harris said that he has not received any advice which would warrant changing the current policy.
“In relation to TikTok or any other social media device, Ireland continually updates guidance and takes advice from the National Cyber Security Centre which sits within the Department of Communications,” he said.
“I haven’t received any advice to change the usage policy as of now, but these issues are constantly kept under review.”
He added that Ireland takes security “extraordinarily seriously,” adding: “As a Minister for Justice, I take it particularly seriously.
“That is why these issues are always kept under review, and not specific to any one company, but the appropriate use of Government devices in relation to social media apps is something that is always borne in mind and continually reviewed specifically by the National Cyber Security Centre.”
TikTok has come under fire over how much access the Chinese government has to the data of its users – though the company has denied any wrongdoing, saying its banning is misguided and based on falsehoods.
Security concerns were raised last month when it was founded that the Irish government buildings were fitted with Chinese-made security cameras which had previously been banned or removed in the UK, Scotland, the US, Denmark, Australia, and the European Parliament.
According to the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, an investigation found that these cameras may be transmitting data back to locations in China, which could carry spying implications.