March 30, 2023
Senior officials in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet had raised potential diplomatic risks over the government’s security review into social media apps including TikTok, warning it could be taken as targeting Chinese companies.
An internal departmental “messaging” document provided to the Prime Minister’s office, obtained by The Australian, advised the government to adopt a country “agnostic” approach to the review, with other Western nations moving towards government bans on the Chinese-owned platform.
“This review risks being perceived as targeting Chinese companies,” the document, obtained under Freedom of Information, says. “Government should maintain a country and vendor agnostic approach to reviewing social media application policy.”
The “talking points” section of the briefing note recommends a form of words be used by the government that makes the point of not singling out any one platform.
“Concerns about the security of Australians’ data on social media are well known and not limited to any one platform,” it says.
Revelations the department had issued concerns to the Prime Minister’s office about how the review would be perceived by China comes as senior government sources expressed private frustrations a decision had not yet been made on whether Australia would follow the US, Britain, Europe and New Zealand in banning TikTok on government-issued devices.
The Australian understands a decision to ban the app was expected several weeks ago following the findings of a review by the Department of Home Affairs, initiated by Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil late last year over national security concerns about the harvesting of personal data by platforms such as TikTok.
The “current issues brief” written by the department for the Prime Minister’s office, as suggested talking points for the Prime Minister and dated December 9, 2022, raises the issue of potential diplomatic risks.
The document, marked “TikTok”, cites “sensitivities” about singling out the app. It is understood the document never made it to the Prime Minister personally but was provided to his office.
A senior government source said it was not a formal policy document but a “messaging” brief that was no longer active.
Opposition cyber security spokesman James Paterson said Australia was at risk of being the only country among the Five Eyes intelligence network – US, Britain, Australia, Canada and NZ – to have not placed a prohibition on the app across government-issued devices.
“I sincerely hope that the Prime Minister is not putting the bilateral relationship with China ahead of protecting Australian government officials from the espionage threat posed by TikTok,” he said. “It would be utterly remarkable if our intelligence agencies were providing any different advice to the Australian government that all of their Five Eyes counterpart agencies have to their governments leading to their bans.
“Australia is the odd one out here and the government must urgently act or explain why they have failed to do so.”
The social media review and its recommendations were handed to the Minister for Home Affairs several weeks ago amid intelligence community concerns TikTok posed an espionage risk.
The US, Britain, NZ and Europe have instigated various forms of bans on TikTok from government devices over concerns Chinese Communist Party officials could gain access to sensitive data.
The US, which last year prohibited the app from government devices, has moved closer to issuing a national ban on TikTok, with congress considering a Bill that would allow platforms with links to foreign governments to be banned. Britain is also poised to ban TikTok from parliamentary devices over cybersecurity concerns, having already banned the app from government-issued devices including mobile phones.
It is understood state governments are awaiting advice from the commonwealth on TikTok before deciding whether to ban the app from their own government networks and devices.
Concerns over TikTok have accelerated in the past few months with claims private data harvested by the app could be accessed by Chinese officials.
The company has rejected security concerns and says it poses no risk to Australian users. A statement to The Australian from TikTok general manager Australia and NZ Lee Hunter on March 20 criticised the government for not engaging with the company.
“The government’s failure to consult with us about this apparent decision would be deeply concerning to TikTok’s millions of Australian users, as well as businesses right across the country,” Mr Hunter said. “There is not a single piece of evidence to suggest that TikTok is in any way a security risk to Australians.”
