A ban on WeChat from all government devices has been recommended.
In the wake of an existing ban on TikTok, an Australian Senate committee has recommended WeChat be banned from all Australian government devices. The move comes amid concerns that WeChat poses national and personal security risks and suggests a nationwide ban on both apps may be considered.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, James Paterson, chair of the Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, said on Wednesday the report’s recommendations would make Australia a more difficult target for the serious foreign interference risks that he says the nation faces. The full report can be found here.
“It tackles both the problems posed by authoritarian-headquartered social media platforms like TikTok and WeChat and Western-headquartered social media platforms being weaponized by the actions of authoritarian governments including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter,” Paterson told reporters.
