Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

MP TikTok Ban Welcomed, NZ’s National Security At Risk

CyberCX welcomes Parliamentary Service’s decision to ban TikTok on Parliament-issued devices as global concerns grow about the Chinese government's access to data collected on the popular platform.

The Parliamentary Service ban comes into effect from March 31, 2023, and includes uninstalling it from personal phones that access Parliament applications. It follows Britain's ban overnight and follows Australia, Canada, the EU, and the US banning TikTok on government-issued devices, due to concern that users are revealing more information than they realise. When installed, the video content app can access troves of personal information, including phone and location data, contacts and messages, search history and keystroke patterns. Users’ engagement with the app can also reveal sensitive information, like political preferences.

TikTok is owned by parent company ByteDance, with the Chinese Communist Party owning a one per cent stake.

CyberCX Executive Director of Executive Director of Security Testing and Assurance, Adam Boileau, says the ban is required to protect New Zealand’s security, especially given the sensitive nature of information on MPs and Minister’s devices.

“Global tensions are rising following the Chinese spy balloon incident earlier this year, and there are very valid concerns around the world about the Chinese government's access to TikTok data and how it’s used.

“Any data ByteDance stores in mainland China can be accessed by the Chinese government under the guise of ‘national security’. If TikTok were directed to act in China’s interests, it would seriously threaten our security - so in terms of government-issued phones, the ban is a necessity,” he says.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

The United States is even considering going one step further, with the White House backing a Congress bill that could give it the power to ban TikTok and other foreign-based tech if they pose a threat to national security. The proposed ban would apply to technologies from China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba.

“We need to look beyond TikTok and urgently review the threat other foreign technology poses - the risk to our nation’s security is only increasing as we adopt more foreign technology,” Boileau says.

“This only strengthens the case for a dedicated Minister of Cyber Security to provide singular, coordinated and comprehensive leadership in responding to the global landscape we operate in and threats we face daily”.

ABOUT CYBERCX:

CyberCX is the leading provider of cyber security services across Australia and New Zealand. With a workforce of over 1,200 cyber security professionals, CyberCX is a trusted partner to private and public sector organisations, helping customers confidently manage cyber risk, respond to incidents, and build resilience in an increasingly complex and challenging threat environment.

CyberCX provides end-to-end cyber capabilities, enabling customers to securely accelerate their digital transformation strategies. CyberCX’s services include consulting and advisory, governance, risk and compliance, incident response, security testing and assurance, network integration and security, cloud security and solutions, identity and access management, managed security services and cyber security training.

 

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.