Tory MP posts TikTok showing his route into Downing Street

Tory MP posts TikTok showing his route into Downing Street and shots of security as PM resists calls to follow EU by banning government officials from the Chinese social media site

• TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, has faced scrutiny over its access to data 
• Downing Street says there is no ban on government officials using media site 

A Tory MP has posted a video showing Downing Street’s security layout – as Rishi Sunak resists calls to ban Government officials from using the site.

Backbencher Luke Evans yesterday uploaded footage of himself going through the gates and up to the famous black door – although he did not include images from inside the search point. 

Many other MPs are keen users of the Chinese social media giant.

A spokesman for the PM insisted today that there is no plan to impose blanket restrictions on staff using TikTok, despite some Conservatives suggesting the UK should follow the example of the European Commission.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said in interviews this morning that he did not personally have TikTok and people should be ‘careful’ what data they shared with it. 

The government’s stance is under fresh scrutiny after the European Commission decision to suspend the use of TikTok on devices issued to staff, and personal devices that staff use for work.

A similar ban has already been introduced in the US for federal government employees.

Tory MP Luke Evans yesterday uploaded footage of himself going through the gates and up to the famous black door – although he did not include images from inside the search point

The government’s stance is under fresh scrutiny after the European Commission decision to suspend the use of TikTok on devices issued to staff, and personal devices that staff use for work 

Alicia Kearns, the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman, is leading the call for the Government in the UK to follow suit.

‘We’ve now seen both the EU and the US take action on TikTok over security concerns: the acquisition of our personal data by a hostile state,’ she told the Telegraph.

‘The Government needs to review its policies and look to ban government officials and parliamentary staff from installing the app on any mobile phones utilised for work, if not any device.’

Parliament’s TikTok account was shut down last year after MPs raised concerns on the firm’s links to China.

The app has nonetheless become increasingly popular among politicians in recent years, with some MPs amassing tens of thousands of followers.

Former health secretary and reality TV star Matt Hancock is a regular user while Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps also has an account.

A No10 spokesman said that he was ‘not aware’ of any ban on Downing Street staff using TikTok.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said in interviews this morning that he did not personally have TikTok and people should be ‘careful’ what data they shared with it

‘We have got a TikTok account but I don’t think we’ve put anything on it for a little while now,’ he said.

‘It’s for individual departments and ministers to choose which social media platforms they want to use.’

Mr Wallace said he did not have TikTok but warned it was important to be ‘careful’ about any social media site.

‘We should all be careful, whatever social media we use. They all collect data about us. There’s a phrase about the internet which is ‘If it’s free, it’s probably because you’re the product’. That is how these companies work,’ he told LBC.

‘TikTok is overall owned by a Chinese company and I think if you put your data on there you are not just sharing it with the person publishing it. The caution is, be careful what you put on these things.’

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