TikTok and WeChat already banned by Government contractors ahead of Senate inquiry report

Major businesses winning taxpayer contracts are already banning Chinese social media apps such as TikTok and WeChat from employees’ phones ahead of a Senate committee report recommending it.

Two of the Big Four accounting firms — KPMG and EY — are restricting some access to the high-risk apps to prevent data security and foreign interference risks.

It comes four months after the Commonwealth banned the use of TikTok on Government-issued devices following advice from intelligence agencies over security concerns.

A report out this week following a bipartisan Senate inquiry into foreign interference found the Government’s ban should be extended to contractors and workers in critical infrastructure assets such as banks, airports and electricity providers.

“KPMG restricts access to TikTok through the KPMG network, however, we currently do not have a ban on the use of it on all devices — noting that some of our people have company-issued phones, some use personal devices,” a KPMG spokeswoman told The West Australian.

“KPMG employees who are required to access or use Government-issued devices as part of their role when working with Government clients must comply with relevant Government directions. We continue to monitor the issue closely.”

At EY, TikTok and WeChat are not approved applications on work-issued devices.

“In circumstances where EY (staff) use a personal device for work-related activities, prior to doing so, EY requires the device be enrolled with an endpoint device management system that allows them to securely access work-related resources,” a firm spokeswoman said.

“This system has a built-in capability to isolate and ensure that there is no transfer between work-related data and personal data, including with third-party personal mobile applications, such as TikTok and WeChat.”

It’s understood Deloitte, PwC, McKinsey & Co and Boston Consulting Group have banned the use of TikTok or restricted access after receiving a letter from Shadow Cyber Security Minister James Paterson urging them to do so.

In April, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his Government would not force companies to implement the same measures as the Commonwealth on TikTok use.

“We run an operation in Australia whereby I’m not going to be so bold as to tell individual companies what they should do,” he said at the time.

“What we’ve done is make a decision as the Government, about issues in which we are in control, which is Government devices, we did so in consultation with State and Territory Governments after receiving advice.”

The Senate committee has also recommended WeChat be banned on Government devices in line with TikTok “given it poses similar data security and foreign interference risks”.

The report stated the Government require all social media platforms operating in Australia to meet minimum transparency principles, including labelling state-affiliated accounts, disclosing any directions they receive from Governments and being open about accounts they censor or take down.

We need action, and we need it now to protect Australians and our democracy.

Senator Paterson said if the Government implemented the 17 recommendations, it would make “Australia a much harder target for the very serious foreign interference risks that we all face”.

“We need action, and we need it now to protect Australians and our democracy,” Senator Paterson said.