London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 29, 2025

TikTok calls EU’s move to ban app from its phones ‘un-European’

TikTok calls EU’s move to ban app from its phones ‘un-European’

TikTok was caught completely off guard when the European Union’s executive arm told staff to delete the video-sharing app from phones on Thursday.
Theo Bertram, TikTok’s vice president of European public policy, told Bloomberg that TikTok’s executives found out via media reports. The European Commission department that issued the suspension never reached out to the company about any concerns.

“We’ve never talked to them. They’ve never asked us for any input, so it’s a surprise,” Bertram said. “Normally we would expect some engagement and then some ability to understand what the case is against us, what the evidence is, to address that. And, in this instance, we haven’t had any of that.”

The ban was part of a growing movement to restrict TikTok on government devices, spurred by concern about cybersecurity risks and the company’s ties to the Chinese government. The US Congress also has barred the app from government devices, and some officials there have called for a broader ban of TikTok, whose parent company is China’s ByteDance Ltd.

TikTok Chief Executive Officer Shou Zi Chew was in Brussels last month visiting a number of European commissioners, some of whom raised concerns about data protection. That followed a December scandal in which TikTok employees accessed user data.

Bertram said these officials stressed that TikTok is able to do business in Europe as long as the company follows the EU’s rules spanning everything from data protection to content moderation.

“They never gave us any impression that this was something that was being considered,” Bertram said. “Not to be told what the process is, it feels un-European.”

The commission’s internal IT department sent an email to employees Thursday morning telling them to delete the app from official phones and devices by March 15. Bertram said the company wants the opportunity to find out what the commission’s concerns are before that deadline, to explain how they are safeguarding Europeans’ data and to find out how the suspension could be lifted.

TikTok wrote to the commission department responsible but has only received a “holding” response so far.

Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who oversees the EU’s corporate management board that made the decision, downplayed the gravity of the move at a briefing with journalists on Thursday, saying there was no “immediate threat to commission officials. Still, they are constantly monitoring the situation,” he said.

“It’s of course not a secret that we are under an increased cybersecurity threat, therefore we should have to take measures in order to avoid anything in the future,” Hahn said. He said the move was part of an ongoing assessment and training of commission staff. “From our professional perspective it’s — I wouldn’t say business as usual – but it’s part of our daily work.”

Still, the move shows how the EU is becoming more aggressive in its approach to TikTok. After a call with Chew in January, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said the EU will ban the platform if it doesn’t follow content moderation and data rules.

“We will not hesitate to adopt the full scope of sanctions to protect our citizens if audits do not show full compliance,” Breton wrote.

Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager has been more cautious about threatening a complete ban of the platform like the US has discussed, telling Swedish media this month that such a move is “not on the table.”

The Dutch intelligence agency is also probing potential risks associated with government workers using TikTok on their phones. And French President Emmanuel Macron has raised concerns about the platform and its impact on young users.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
×