Speaking in the Commons earlier, Dowden said that the ban will take immediate effect.

The ban comes following a review by the National Cyber Security Centre, which looked into the vulnerability of governmental data on government devices, and the risks of how sensitive information could be accessed and used by social media apps.

“The security of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on government devices. The use of other data-extracting apps will be kept under review.

“Restricting the use of TikTok on Government devices is a prudent and proportionate step following advice from our cyber security experts,” Dowden said.

However, ministers and civil servants are still permitted to use and keep the app on their personal devices.

The UK government’s decision to ban TikTok — which is owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance — on government devices is in line with the US, the European Commission, and Canadian governments.

The platform has faced further scrutiny in the west recently, as concerns over how the data may or could be used by the Chinese company — and then perhaps Chinese officials — grows.

“TikTok requires users to give permission for the app to access data stored on the device, which is then collected and stored by the company. Allowing such permissions gives the company access to a range of data on the device, including contacts, user content, and geolocation data,” the government said.

“The government, along with our international partners, is concerned about the way in which this data may be used.”

According to the Guardian, a TikTok spokesperson commented on the UK government’s ban, saying: “We believe these bans have been based on fundamental misconceptions and driven by wider geopolitics, in which TikTok, and our millions of users in the UK, play no part. We remain committed to working with the government to address any concerns.”

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While Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner welcomed the ban, she also accused the government of being “behind the curve” with banning the app on government devices, with the United States, Canada, and the European Parliament having already done so.

Further, just hours ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US’ position on TikTok has escalated, with the Biden administration threatening to implement a U.S.-wide ban unless the app’s Chinese owners sell their stakes in the company.

Updates

Just as Tik Tok CEO Shou Zi Chew attends a hearing in the US Congress, the UK Parliament has announced that TikTok will be banned from all Parliamentary devices and the wider parliamentary network.

Scotland is to follow Westminster’s example, banning the social media app from all Scottish Parliament devices.