Australia
Time Ticking for TikTok as Government Bans Begin
Governments around the world are banning the Chinese owned social media app TikTok on federal devices, in an escalation of ongoing concerns about privacy issues and the spying capability of the popular video sharing platform which boasts around 1.7 billion users.
SANDY: Governments around the world are banning the Chinese owned social media app TikTok on federal devices, in an escalation of ongoing concerns about privacy issues and the spying capability of the popular video sharing platform which boasts around 1.7 billion users, or 21% of the world’s population. The bans have been implemented to protect national security in Canada, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, the UK, the EU and over half of the state governments of the US, including Montana where their Governor has signed legislation that would ban TikTok from App stores in the state, protecting residents from alleged Chinese intelligence gathering.
Of course, Australia quickly jumped on the censorship bandwagon, Prime Minister Albanese quietly issuing the ban on government devices without mentioning what the specific threat was, or how the ban would be monitored. Former Labor opposition leader and MP Bill Shorten is leaving the platform – leaving only primary, secondary and university students, as well as their parents and government officials using their own devices, to peruse, post and plan videos on the app.
Keen TikToker ‘The Drudge’ joins us in the studio now and The Drudge, what got you so into TikTok mate?
THE DRUDGE: (Well I like the dancing girls on there Sandy)
SANDY: Oh I bet you do! Does the threat to national security ever bother you though?
THE DRUDGE: (You mean ‘cause everyone’s on TikTok instead of working and studying?)
SANDY: Well, yeah, but also all the Chinese spying, you know they had those balloons floating around the US earlier this year, goodness knows what they’re doing with TikTok?
THE DRUDGE: (Probably the same thing Facebook and Twitter have been doing for years. But i’ve got nothing to hide)
SANDY: Well, except your addiction to watching dancing girls all day?
THE DRUDGE: (Well there’s that… You wanna see some?)
SANDY: Oh, ok, maybe just one
THE DRUDGE: (Now there’s a girl with talent!)
SANDY: Oh geez! Is she old enough to do that?
THE DRUDGE: (Oh, this one’s better…)
SANDY: That’s even worse! What is that? Nah, I’m with Albo and BIll Shorten on this one…
BRIAN & JOE: [Off-screen] Aw, come on! One more!
SANDY: No! Unless it’s from a platform that’s legal on government devices, I don’t wanna see it?
THE DRUDGE: (One more, I promise – This one’s educational! It’s her Year 12 Dance Exam)
BRIAN: Hey Sandy?
SANDY: Yes Brian?
BRIAN: Did you know my Grandmother has stopped posting on TikTok?
SANDY: Oh, that’s a shame…
BRIAN: Yes… She’s on ‘OnlyNans’ now…
SANDY: Oh God Brian! Geez…
