TikTok is set to be banned from UK government phones

The UK government is set to ban Chinese-owned video app, TikTok on government-issued phones, amid security concerns, according to Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden.

Speaking on the development, Dowden said that there "could" be a risk to how government data and information is used by the app.

The announcement comes weeks after the European Commission imposed a similar ban, amid concerns over cybersecurity. Last month, Canada placed restrictions on the Chinese-owned social media app and the U.S. is threatening to ban TikTok unless its Chinese owners divest their stake in it.

The UK has now joined a growing list of countries that are concerned about the safety of citizens using the app and the possibility of the app compromising national security.

TikTok's monthly active users in the UK, are estimated to be over 8.9 million, as of January 2022, according to Statista.