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Polish Government Warns Against TikTok on Work Devices
Government Technology Official Gawkowski Issues Caution on Installing TikTok on Public Gadgets
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, has recommended avoiding TikTok on government devices due to potential data privacy risks. In an interview on Polish Radio Program 1, he highlighted that while no current plans to ban TikTok or any other platform in Poland exist, he strongly advises against its use on work devices. This caution stems from concerns about the way various platforms, including not just TikTok, collect and process user data, some of which might be harmful.
Gawkowski pointed out, "There's a kaleidoscope of platforms out there, each handling user data differently, and we ain't got all the deets. So work devices shoultsta remain sans such apps."
Cyber Threats on the Rise
The Deputy Prime Minister also shed light on an escalating number of cyberattacks since the start of the European Parliament election campaign, predominantly targeting governmental and local administration institutions. These attacks are said to be orchestrated to destabilize EU countries ahead of the elections and are believed to be commissioned by Russia. He quipped, "We're in a chill digital cold war with Russia, bud."
Legislative Context
This conversation arrives on the heels of the U.S. Congress passing a bill mandating ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to sell the app due to apprehensions over data security and potential misuse for surveillance and influence ops. ByteDance has challenged this legislation, pointing out that it encroaches on free speech rights.
Gawkowski's warning underscores the persistent global anxieties about data security and the potential pitfalls associated with popular social media platforms, especially in times of mounting geopolitical tensions and cybersecurity threats.
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- The Polish government is expressing concerns about cybersecurity, especially in relation to social media platforms like TikTok, due to potential data privacy risks and the collection and processing of user data.
- Krzysztof Gawkowski, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, has advised against using TikTok on government devices in Poland, citing the different ways various platforms handle user data.
- Gawkowski's warning about TikTok comes as cyberattacks targeting governmental and local administration institutions have risen in Europe, with many of these attacks believed to be commissioned by Russia.
- The United States Congress recently passed a bill that mandates TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app due to data security concerns, but ByteDance has challenged this legislation as an infringement on free speech rights.
- The ongoing geopolitical tensions and increased cybersecurity threats highlight the global anxiety about data security and the potential dangers associated with popular social media platforms in political and general news contexts.
