TikTok classified as a security threat

TikTok, the social media platform owned by China-based ByteDance, has been deemed a dangerous product in Taiwan, Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang (唐鳳) said.

Tang was responding to a question by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) regarding the government’s stance on the short-form video hosting service that might be banned in the US soon.

This classification was made because TikTok is controlled by foreign adversaries, Tang told a legislative hearing last week, indicating an alignment with the US’ view that the platform is a national security threat.

In Taiwan, any product that could be significantly controlled by foreign adversaries — directly or indirectly — is considered a threat to national information and communication security, and is deemed a dangerous product, she said.

On March 13, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would give ByteDance about six months to divest its US assets or face a nationwide ban.

The bill is to be forwarded to the US Senate, and if passed there, would be sent to US President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The Ministry of Digital Affairs has proposed an amendment to the

Cyber Security Management Act (資通安全管理法), based on similar concerns stated in the US bill about the indirect influence of foreign adversaries, Tang said.

“Dangerous products” include those provided by a substantive controller of sources of infiltration, as referred to in the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法), the ministry said on Thursday last week regarding the proposed amendment.

TikTok is currently banned for use in Taiwanese government agencies and on their premises.

The Cabinet is to decide whether to extend that ban to schools, nongovernmental agencies and public spaces, Tang said.