UK parliament shuts down TikTok account after data security concerns

News in brief

Just one week after the UK parliament created an official TikTok account “for news and behind-the-scenes content from the Elizabeth Tower”, the account is being closed down, according to a report from The Guardian.

We’re live on TikTok!

Follow @UKParliament for news and behind-the-scenes content from the Elizabeth Tower.

For starters, where’s the best spot to get your best selfie with the famous Tower? https://t.co/z8F5MMIrJp pic.twitter.com/x7dOZxMz3y

— UK Parliament (@UKParliament) July 27, 2022

The closure follows objections from Conservatives over concerns that user data on TikTok can be accessed from China.

The US FCC commissioner last month referred to TikTok as a “national security threat” over the same concerns, and asked for Apple and Google to remove the app from its app stores.

TikTok later admitted that “engineering teams”, including those based in China, “might need access to data for engineering functions that are specifically tied to their roles” and went on to share new initiatives to “strengthen transparency and accountability”.