Britain's Special Forces banned from TikTok amid fears over spying

2023-03-05

Britain’s Special Forces are banned from TikTok and other apps amid fears their accounts could be infiltrated by Russian or Chinese spies

SAS operatives are banned from using TikTok on military-issue smartphones
Members of the elite unit are also urged not to use app on personal phones
Intelligence experts fear apps could provide China and Russia with vital data

All SAS operatives have been banned from using TikTok and other social media apps on their military-issue smartphones.

Members of the elite unit, as well as those in other Special Forces outfits, are also urged not to use the apps on their own personal phones.

It comes amid growing concerns that the apps, especially China-owned TikTok, could lead to top-secret data being accessed by spies.

It is understood the warning was issued by the Special Forces Group Intelligence and Security unit.

Intelligence experts fear the apps could provide countries such as China and Russia with data that could help identify Special Forces members, covert locations within the UK and abroad, and even compromise operations.

All SAS operatives have been banned from using TikTok and other social media apps on their military-issue smartphones

Britain’s Special Forces, which include the Special Boat Service and Special Reconnaissance Regiment, work closely with members of MI5 and MI6 (File pic)

Britain’s Special Forces, which include the Special Boat Service and Special Reconnaissance Regiment, work closely with members of MI5 and MI6.

Individuals’ identities are state secrets and their publication is effectively banned under a DSMA-Notice – meaning members cannot be named in the media.

Colonel Phil Ingram, a former military intelligence officer, said: ‘Apps are one of the biggest emerging threats for hostile intelligence services to use to target individuals.

‘It is not just the data they collect legally when a user accepts the terms and conditions, which is often excessive, but it is the additional data that could be collected.’

He added: ‘Chinese-developed apps are subject to article seven of China’s National Intelligence Law, which states that all Chinese organisations and citizens should ‘support, assist and co-operate’ with Chinese intelligence efforts.

‘No app from a Chinese source should be on any device, official or private, for any member of the military – the risk of data compromise is simply too great.’

The order follows similar bans affecting the military in the US, Canada and parts of the EU.

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