The BBC is considering whether to ban TikTok and has ordered staff to delete the Chinese social media app from work phones unless they are using it for editorial or marketing reasons.
The broadcaster issued new guidance for staff on Sunday after the UK government banned the use of TikTok on ministers’ and civil servants’ phones.
The BBC’s guidance marks a marked shift in the channel’s tone after vigorously embracing TikTok over the past year and even hiring specialists for its social media team.
TikTok said it was “disappointed” with the BBC’s edict, adding that bans are “based on fundamental misunderstandings” about the app’s security risk.
In the guidance broadcast today, received by Deadline, the BBC said: “We do not recommend installing TikTok on a BBC corporate device unless there is a legitimate business reason.”
BBC staff were issued the order after “concerns about privacy and data security were raised by government agencies around the world”.
In a Q&A on the guidelines, the BBC asked: “Will the BBC ban the use of TikTok on company devices or on my personal device that I use for BBC work purposes?”
The response: “We are currently reviewing the TikTok concerns and will provide further updates based on government and National Cyber Security Center guidance.”
Senior BBC journalists have been warning of the company’s “obsession” with TikTok for months, with some concerned that the company has admitted to stalking reporters working for Forbes, BuzzFeed and the Financial Times.
A BBC insider told Deadline that this is “not the time to uncritically throw resources at a platform”. A TikTok source said at the time that she would be happy to raise security issues with BBC journalists and “alleviate any concerns they have”.
The updated BBC guidelines follow Danish public broadcaster DR, which last week advised employees to stop using the app. A TikTok insider described the ban as “irrelevant” and pointed to his plan to create a “secure enclave for European TikTok user data” to address security concerns.
TikTok said: “We are disappointed with the BBC’s guidance but welcome the fact that TikTok can still be used as part of editorial, marketing and reporting purposes. The BBC has a strong presence on our platform, with multiple accounts from news to music reaching our dedicated community both in the UK and around the world.
“We believe these bans are based on fundamental misunderstandings and are driven by broader geopolitics. We remain in close dialogue with the BBC and are committed to working with them to address their concerns.”