WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand lawmakers and different employees contained in the nation’s Parliament can be banned from having the TikTok app on their authorities telephones, officers mentioned Friday.

The ban, which takes impact on the finish of the month, follows comparable strikes in lots of different international locations.

Nonetheless, New Zealand‘s ban will apply solely to about 500 individuals within the parliamentary advanced, to not all authorities employees like bans within the U.S. and Britain. Different New Zealand companies might determine later to impose their very own bans.

International concern concerning the app comes after warnings by the FBI and different companies that TikTok’s Chinese language father or mother firm ByteDance might share TikTok person information – comparable to looking historical past, location and biometric identifiers – with China’s authoritarian authorities.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins mentioned he didn’t have TikTok on his cellphone.

“I’m not that hip and classy,” he advised reporters.

The New Zealand transfer got here on the recommendation of presidency cybersecurity consultants, mentioned Parliamentary Service Chief Govt Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.

He mentioned the app could be faraway from all units with entry to the parliamentary community, though officers might make particular preparations for anyone who wanted TikTok to carry out their democratic duties.

“This choice has been made primarily based on our personal consultants’ evaluation and following dialogue with our colleagues throughout authorities and internationally,” Gonzalez-Montero mentioned in an announcement. “Primarily based on this info, the service has decided that the dangers usually are not acceptable within the present New Zealand parliamentary atmosphere.”

Hipkins mentioned cybersecurity recommendation got here from New Zealand‘s intelligence company, the Authorities Communications Safety Bureau. He mentioned New Zealand didn’t take a blanket strategy to all authorities employees, and it could be as much as every division or company to make cybersecurity selections.