Tik Tok – Minister says the Government “will not hesitate to take further action, if necessary, to protect our national security” and will probe TikTok “to understand its plans for ensuring the security of UK citizens’ data”.. “TikTok is expected to comply with data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA18)”…”Organisations that fail to comply with data protection legislation may be investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office. Enforcement action, including fines, can be taken where appropriate.”

Mar 13, 2023 | News

Julia Lopez MP
Minister of State
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
100 Parliament Street
London SW1A 2BQ

The Lord Alton of Liverpool

13 March 2023

Dear David,


Thank you for your correspondence of 3 November, to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, about TikTok and data protection. Following the recent Machinery of Government changes, your letter request has been passed to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as this issue falls within the Department’s remit. I am replying as the Minister responsible for data policy and I apologise for the delay in responding to your letter which has only just been brought to my attention.


Thank you for alerting me to the BBC news article about TikTok’s data policy. I appreciate your concern for the protection of citizens’ data and wish to assure you that ensuring the security of UK data is a priority for this Government. The Government will continue to engage with TikTok to understand its plans for ensuring the security of UK citizens’ data. More generally, the Government monitors threats to our data and will not hesitate to take further action, if necessary, to protect our national security.


TikTok is expected to comply with data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA18). The UK GDPR and DPA18 contain rules about transfers of personal data to organisations located outside the UK. People’s rights in relation to their personal data must be protected, or one of a limited number of exceptions must apply.

Organisations that fail to comply with data protection legislation may be investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office. Enforcement action, including fines, can be taken where appropriate.


Thank you for writing about TikTok’s data policy. I hope that my response is helpful and reassures you that the Government takes the protection of UK data seriously.

With best wishes,
Julia Lopez MP
Minister of State

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