European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted at the possibility of a TikTok ban within the European Union during a debate in Maastricht involving leading party candidates in the bloc's 2024 elections, as reported by Politico.
“It’s not impossible,”
von der Leyen remarked, responding to a moderator's mention of the United States, where TikTok faces a national ban unless it undergoes a change in ownership.
However, she swiftly added that the Commission was “the very first organization in the world to ban TikTok on our corporate phones. We definitely know the dangers of TikTok.”
The remarks from von der Leyen come amidst growing concerns over TikTok's data privacy and security practices, particularly regarding its handling of user data and its potential ties to the Chinese government.
TikTok is also under investigation, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), for allegedly failing to adequately protect minors using the platform. Under the DSA, the Commission has the authority to order the temporary suspension of a service as a last resort.
While von der Leyen made her stance clear, other candidates at the debate were more cautious in their responses. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the leading candidate for the liberal party Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), emphasized the need to closely examine the situation surrounding TikTok.
Von der Leyen herself reportedly refrains from using TikTok while campaigning for a second term, indicating her concerns about the platform's implications for data privacy and security.
Earlier Daryo reported that U.S. President Joseph Biden signed a legislation on April 24, allowing for the potential banning of social media platform TikTok within the country.
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