The Philippines hopes to complete its threat assessment of TikTok this month as the government considers banning its use on official devices, a security official said Monday.
Jonathan Malaya, the assistant director general of the National Security Council (NSC), said the advisory body’s recommendations will be submitted to National Security Adviser Eduardo Año and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The app has been banned from government-issued devices in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The bans were prompted by fears that the Chinese Communist Party could use it for spying or propaganda, an allegation that TikTok denies.
TikTok is banned on US government devices and the White House is currently undertaking a security review to determine whether the popular video-sharing app can still operate in the country.
Malaya said they are being cautious about a possible TikTok ban on government devices to prevent backlash from the public.
He recognized there would be a debate about that policy and that they “would like to be prepared.”
“Since the public loves TikTok, we have to establish really the reasons to limit it, to regulate it, insofar as the security sector is concerned,” he said.
“We want our positions to be supported by evidence, by studies, and by clear arguments so that we can win this case before the public.”