Japan lawmakers eye ban on TikTok, others if used improperly
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| Tik tok banned |
Lawmakers from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are considering proposing a ban on social networking services like TikTok if they are used for disinformation campaigns.
The proposal is set to be compiled next month and is aimed at maintaining Japan's economic security.
The ban would be enforced if it is found that these apps are being intentionally used for influence operations. The proposal is not aimed at any particular platform, and further restrictions will only be considered after a thorough investigation of their data handling and operations.
The use of TikTok and other social networking services is already prohibited on Japanese government devices that handle confidential information.
Lawmakers believe that making it clear that operations can be halted will keep app operators in check and give users a sense of security.
Recently, several Western governments and institutions, including the UK parliament, Dutch and Belgian administrations, and the New Zealand parliament, have banned TikTok.
Many US lawmakers are also urging the Biden administration to ban the app.