Germany to ban TikTok? MPs think country should take harder stance if strict regulations don’t work

Some German Members of Parliament serving on a parliamentary intelligence oversight board are advocating for a tougher stance on TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform known for short-form videos.

This discussion arises amidst considerations in the United States regarding potential legislation to ban the app altogether.

The US House of Representatives recently passed the legislation unanimously, signalling potential measures to compel ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to divest the app or face a complete prohibition from app stores within the United States.

However, this bill still requires scrutiny by the US Senate before becoming law.

Several members of the German parliamentary committee responsible for overseeing intelligence services have expressed concerns regarding TikTok. Roderich Kiesewetter, the vice chairman of the Bundestag's intelligence control committee and a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), suggested that Germany should contemplate a "general ban on TikTok" if they don’t abide by stricter regulation of the country.

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Kiesewetter highlighted worries that TikTok could pose a threat to democracy due to its perceived role as an "important instrument" in hybrid warfare tactics employed by China and Russia.

According to a government response presented in the Bundestag, there are approximately 19 million TikTok users in Germany as of 2023.

Jens Zimmerman, a member of Germany's Social Democratic Party, proposed considering at least a ban on the app's usage on federal devices, similar to regulations in place for EU institutions.

However, not all German politicians are in favour of an outright ban. Ralf Stegner from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Konstantin von Notz, the deputy leader of the Green Party, advocate for exploring regulatory avenues instead of imposing a complete ban, which could prove difficult to enforce.

They refer to the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to hold Internet companies accountable for curbing disinformation and illegal content on their platforms. TikTok is currently under investigation by the European Commission for potential breaches related to the DSA, including issues concerning minors' protection, advertising transparency, and data access.

The European Commission declined to comment on the US legislation or discussions in Germany regarding TikTok but emphasised that decisions on IT security measures rest with the relevant national authorities.

The Commission highlighted the potential for the DSA to enforce temporary restrictions on access to services if companies fail to comply with legislation. Currently, the suspension of TikTok on corporate devices remains in effect, according to the Commission.