Germany’s Hardline Stance on TikTok: A Ban on the Horizon?

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Is Germany considering banning TikTok? Legislators believe the nation should adopt a tougher approach if tight rules are not effective

Following the example of the US, Germany might prohibit TikTok, if the social media app does not comply with set rules and guidelines. Numerous lawmakers suggest that the very minimum action would be to forbid it from government-provided personal gadgets.

Several German Parliamentarians who are part of an intelligence supervisory committee are pushing for a more stringent approach towards TikTok, a social media application owned by China and popular for its brief video content.

The conversation comes up in the context of deliberations in the United States about the possibility of passing a law to completely prohibit the app.

Recently, the US House of Representatives unanimously approved a law that might force ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to sell the app or risk being completely banned from US app stores.

Nonetheless, the US Senate still needs to review this legislation before it can be officially enacted.

A number of individuals from the German parliamentary group in charge of supervising intelligence agencies have voiced worries about TikTok. Roderich Kiesewetter, who is the deputy head of the Bundestag's intelligence oversight committee and belongs to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), proposed that Germany might need to consider a "total prohibition on TikTok" if the app fails to comply with the country's tighter regulations.

Kiesewetter expressed concerns that TikTok might endanger democracy, seeing it as a significant tool in the mixed warfare strategies used by China and Russia.

As per the information shared by the government in the Bundestag, around 19 million people in Germany are using TikTok as of the year 2023.

Jens Zimmerman, from Germany's Social Democratic Party, suggested contemplating a prohibition on the app's use on national devices, akin to restrictions currently enforced for EU institutions.

Nonetheless, the idea of an absolute prohibition isn't shared by all German lawmakers. Both Ralf Stegner of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Konstantin von Notz, who is the Green Party's deputy chief, suggest investigating regulatory options rather than initiating a total ban, as it could pose enforcement challenges.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is designed to ensure online companies take responsibility for reducing misinformation and unlawful content on their sites. At present, the European Commission is examining TikTok for possible violations of the DSA, including concerns about the safety of young users, clarity in advertising, and access to data.

The European Commission chose not to remark on the US laws or talks in Germany about TikTok, but stressed that the responsibility for IT security actions lies with the respective national bodies.

The Commission emphasized the possibility of the DSA implementing short-term limitations on service access if businesses do not adhere to laws. As per the Commission, the prohibition of TikTok on company gadgets continues to be implemented.

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