Previously, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and the European Commission had made similar decisions.
Dreyfus explained that the government would approve some exceptions “on a case-by-case” basis, but establishing measures to mitigate security risks.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the app, with more than 1 billion users, can be used to collect data that is then shared with Chinese authorities.
Beijing condemned the move, and said it had officially protested to the Australian authorities.
“We call on the Australian side to sincerely abide by market economy rules and fair competition principles, and provide Chinese companies with a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment,” Mao Ning, a spokesman for the Australian government, told reporters. the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Surveys estimate that up to seven million Australians use the app, which is a quarter of the population.
The Australian attorney general’s department said the social network poses “significant security and privacy risks” due to “the extensive collection of user data.”
TikTok criticizes that these bans are “based on xenophobia”, but acknowledged in December last year that it had collected user data to spy on journalists.
Its spokesman in Australia, Lee Hunter, assured that the company has “never” given data to the Chinese government.