NSC mulls expanding possible TikTok ban to NBI, BI

National Security Council (NSC) assistant director general Jonathan Malaya on Wednesday said some agencies have been suggested to be included in the possible ban on using the social media platform TikTok.

Among the suggested agencies were the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to Malaya.

“It's been suggested that the BI should also be covered by the ban. They are part of the [Department of Justice]. Individuals, for example, from the NBI who are into law enforcement,” he told ANC.

“But as I said, we're starting first with the security sector and maybe expand depending on what the study reveals as to the possibility of TikTok being a tool for data collection or cyber espionage,” he added.

Senator Francis Tolentino, meanwhile, said he would support efforts to enhance national security. 

"Anything that would beef up our national security, I’m for it," he said in an ANC interview.

Earlier, the NSC said it was studying the possibility of banning TikTok among the government’s uniformed personnel to avoid a possible ''data leak.''

Several countries, such as the United States, India, and Canada have already announced moves to ban TikTok, owned by a Chinese company, on government phones and state workers.

This is amid concerns that the application might give sensitive data to the Chinese government.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar said the military has already implemented measures on the use of TikTok.

"Our thoughts on the TikTok, actually, we had initiated precautionary measures so that we can be insulated from the spyware there is in using this application," Aguilar said.

The AFP spokesperson said there were instances when personnel and even visitors were asked to surrender their devices upon entering certain sections of the AFP Headquarters.

Aguilar added that there is a policy that national security and the AFP’s image should not be compromised while military personnel are using social media. —with Giselle Ombay/KG/VBL, GMA Integrated News