TikTok's possible ban in the United States was blocked by US Republican Senator Rand Paul on&nbsp;Wednesday. Senator Paul, as per Reuters, blocked the&nbsp;bid to fast-track the Chinese-owned social media app's ban, citing concerns about free speech. He&nbsp;warned that people should "beware" of entities that "use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties" and said that a ban on the app will imitate "Chinese speech bans." Asking if the US is "going to be just like China", Paul&nbsp;alleged that such a bill would give the US president "limitless authority" to ban speech.

"If Republicans want to continuously lose elections for a generation they should pass this bill to ban TikTok — a social media app used by 150 million people, primarily young Americans," said Paul on the Senate floor.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;US: Legislation to address SECURITY WORRIES about TikTok

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"Do we really want to emulate Chinese speech bans?... We're going to be just like China and ban speech we're afraid of?" he questioned.

Paul&nbsp;is just one among many; recently a growing number of conservatives and democrats have come out in opposition&nbsp;or have raised concerns about the RESTRICT Act. Free speech groups like the American Civil Liberties Union are also against the TikTok ban.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-assures-us-lawmakers-legacy-data-will-be-deleted-this-year-575125">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year</a>

Those in opposition cite free speech and other issues and have objected to the legislation targeting TikTok as overly broad.

Former Republican Representative Justin Amash claims that the "RESTRICT Act isn’t about banning TikTok; it’s about controlling you. It gives broad powers to the executive branch, with few checks, and will be abused in every way you can imagine."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-to-go-ahead-with-the-proposal-banning-tiktok-use-nationwide-576555">US lawmakers to go ahead with the proposal banning TikTok use nationwide</a>

Similarly, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a TikTok video posted on Friday opposed a TikTok ban. Calling it "unprecedented", she said Congress has not seen classified TikTok briefings.&nbsp;"It just doesn't feel right to me," she added.

The RESTRICT Act is the brain-child of a Democrat and a Republican. Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican, have proposed the Act. The ban now has 22 Senate co-sponsors. If enacted, it will give the US Commerce Department the authority to impose limits, and if needed, completely ban TikTok and other technologies that could in its opinion pose&nbsp;a security issue.&nbsp;Reuters reported that the new rule would be applicable to technologies from China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.

(With inputs from agencies)

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TikTok's possible ban in the United States was blocked by US Republican Senator Rand Paul on Wednesday. Senator Paul, as per Reuters, blocked the bid to fast-track the Chinese-owned social media app's ban, citing concerns about free speech.

TikTok's possible ban in the United States was blocked by US Republican Senator Rand Paul on Wednesday. Senator Paul, as per Reuters, blocked the bid to fast-track the Chinese-owned social media app's ban, citing concerns about free speech. He warned that people should "beware" of entities that "use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties" and said that a ban on the app will imitate "Chinese speech bans." Asking if the US is "going to be just like China", Paul alleged that such a bill would give the US president "limitless authority" to ban speech. "If Republicans want to continuously lose elections for a generation they should pass this bill to ban TikTok — a social media app used by 150 million people, primarily young Americans," said Paul on the Senate floor. Watch | US: Legislation to address SECURITY WORRIES about TikTok "Do we really want to emulate Chinese speech bans?... We're going to be just like China and ban speech we're afraid of?" he questioned. Paul is just one among many; recently a growing number of conservatives and democrats have come out in opposition or have raised concerns about the RESTRICT Act. Free speech groups like the American Civil Liberties Union are also against the TikTok ban. Also read | TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year Those in opposition cite free speech and other issues and have objected to the legislation targeting TikTok as overly broad. Former Republican Representative Justin Amash claims that the "RESTRICT Act isn’t about banning TikTok; it’s about controlling you. It gives broad powers to the executive branch, with few checks, and will be abused in every way you can imagine." Also read | US lawmakers to go ahead with the proposal banning TikTok use nationwide Similarly, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a TikTok video posted on Friday opposed a TikTok ban. Calling it "unprecedented", she said Congress has not seen classified TikTok briefings. "It just doesn't feel right to me," she added. The RESTRICT Act is the brain-child of a Democrat and a Republican. Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican, have proposed the Act. The ban now has 22 Senate co-sponsors. If enacted, it will give the US Commerce Department the authority to impose limits, and if needed, completely ban TikTok and other technologies that could in its opinion pose a security issue. Reuters reported that the new rule would be applicable to technologies from China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Republican Rand Paul blocks TikTok ban, asks if US is 'going to be just like China' and block free speech

TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew on Thursday faced relentless questioning at the hands of US lawmakers over the video-sharing application's alleged ties to China and the danger it poses to teens. Faced with intense grilling by both Democrats ad Republicans, Chew addressed "concerns about the potential for unwanted foreign access to US data." He said that the company has addressed the concerns with "real action" for the past two years and that TikTok has "legacy" US data which will be deleted this year.

"We have legacy US data sitting in our servers in Virginia and in Singapore. We're deleting those and we expect that to be complete this year," he said during the morning session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.

Watch |&nbsp;TikTok CEO grilled by US lawmakers

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He added that "when that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of the US-led security team. This eliminates the concern that some of you have shared with me that TikTok user data can be subject to Chinese law."

The hearing comes as TikTok seeks to survive a White House ultimatum that to avoid getting banned in the United States, the application must&nbsp;split&nbsp;from its Chinese owners.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-parliament-joins-forces-with-government-bans-tiktok-575109">UK parliament joins forces with government, bans TikTok</a>

Chew said that TikTok's parent company ByteDance "is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company."

Democrat Congressman Darren Soto, however, reiterated the demand that "TikTok needs to be an American company with American values and end all ties to the Chinese Communist Party."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-users-descend-on-us-capitol-to-protest-against-calls-for-ban-on-app-574916">TikTok users descend on US Capitol to protest against calls for ban on app</a>

TikTok which in America boasts a user base of 150 million faces a ban which, as per AFP, would be an "unprecedented&nbsp;act" on a media company by the US government.&nbsp;

The company, however, still hopes to appease the authorities with its elaborate plan titled "Project Texas," through which it seeks to satisfy national security concerns, under which the handling of US data will be ring-fenced into a US-run division. Lawmakers, however, posed severe doubts and stressed the demand that the application snips its Chinese ties.

(With inputs from agencies)

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TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew on Thursday faced relentless questioning at the hands of US lawmakers over the video-sharing application's alleged ties to China and the danger it poses to teens.

TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew on Thursday faced relentless questioning at the hands of US lawmakers over the video-sharing application's alleged ties to China and the danger it poses to teens. Faced with intense grilling by both Democrats ad Republicans, Chew addressed "concerns about the potential for unwanted foreign access to US data." He said that the company has addressed the concerns with "real action" for the past two years and that TikTok has "legacy" US data which will be deleted this year. "We have legacy US data sitting in our servers in Virginia and in Singapore. We're deleting those and we expect that to be complete this year," he said during the morning session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Watch | TikTok CEO grilled by US lawmakers He added that "when that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of the US-led security team. This eliminates the concern that some of you have shared with me that TikTok user data can be subject to Chinese law." The hearing comes as TikTok seeks to survive a White House ultimatum that to avoid getting banned in the United States, the application must split from its Chinese owners. Also read | UK parliament joins forces with government, bans TikTok Chew said that TikTok's parent company ByteDance "is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company." Democrat Congressman Darren Soto, however, reiterated the demand that "TikTok needs to be an American company with American values and end all ties to the Chinese Communist Party." Also read | TikTok users descend on US Capitol to protest against calls for ban on app TikTok which in America boasts a user base of 150 million faces a ban which, as per AFP, would be an "unprecedented act" on a media company by the US government. The company, however, still hopes to appease the authorities with its elaborate plan titled "Project Texas," through which it seeks to satisfy national security concerns, under which the handling of US data will be ring-fenced into a US-run division. Lawmakers, however, posed severe doubts and stressed the demand that the application snips its Chinese ties. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year

Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, is currently in the spotlight amid growing scepticism of the Chinese app around the world. The app is&nbsp;running the risk of being banned across the United States.

On Thursday (March 23), the 40-year-old Singaporean will testify&nbsp;before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee on&nbsp;the app's data security and privacy policies, as well as its suspected connections to China, reported the BBC.

The public face of TikTok, chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas, was questioned by Congress in 2022 over the alleged flow of the US's&nbsp;data&nbsp;to China.

The company made a point of mentioning that Chew&nbsp;is not from China but rather is "a Singaporean based in Singapore" in a letter sent to MPs last June, underlining that it acts independently of parent company ByteDance.

Chew, who leads one of the best-known apps in the world but is comparatively low profile, will be required to defend TikTok&nbsp;before some of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's more scathing critics.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-monthly-active-users-in-us-jump-to-150-million-ceo-set-to-testify-before-congress-574185">TikTok’s monthly active users in US jump to 150mn, firm launches PR exercise to fix sullied image</a>

In an interview from the firm's WeWork headquarters in Washington, he stated that he does not see Thursday's meeting as a last-ditch attempt to save TikTok's US operations, but rather as an opportunity to explain what the company is attempting to do and to gather feedback from Congress members, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;

"I look at it as an opportunity to do that, not a do-or-die" moment, he said.

<h2>Shou Zi Chew's early days</h2>

Born and raised in Singapore, Chew&nbsp;went to a prestigious Chinese-language&nbsp;school and speaks both&nbsp;Mandarin and English fluently. While completing his military conscription, he held the honourable position of officer in Singapore's armed services.

Prior to enrolling at Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA and served as an intern at social media giant Facebook when it was still a start-up, Chew graduated from University College London with a Bachelor's in Economics, as per BBC reports.

He reportedly spent five years working for the investment firm DST Global, where he led a team that invested early in ByteDance in 2013.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-to-testify-that-app-has-never-shared-data-with-chinese-government-574637">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to testify that app never shared users’ data with Chinese government</a>

Furthermore, he spent two years working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs.&nbsp;

The Chinese smartphone powerhouse Xiaomi, where&nbsp;Chew later served as its chief financial officer and president of its international business, hired him to lead it through its 2018 IPO.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;TikTok denies transferring data to China, CEO says 'never shared users' data'

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In March 2021, he left the company and joined ByteDance, where he was the first to hold the position of chief financial officer.&nbsp;

He took over as TikTok CEO two months later, after his predecessor Kevin Mayer abruptly resigned due to the Trump administration's efforts to force the sale of TikTok's US assets.

In February 2022, almost a year after assuming charge of the platform, he created his own TikTok account, @shou.time to share snippets of his personal life. Since then, Chew's over 18,000 followers have seen him at the Super Bowl and NBA games, meeting public figures like Bill Murray, and painfully attempting to dance with singer Ciara.&nbsp;

He has worked the media circuit, sharing in interviews his love of golf and admiration for comic Kevin Hart. The father of two, who is married to Vivian Kao, the head of an investment firm, has also stated that he does not let his kids use TikTok because they are "too young."

<h2>Challenging road ahead</h2>

As US politicians demand TikTok transfer control of its US assets or face a ban, Chew is currently faced with one of the biggest challenges of his career.

The issue has also been a source of contention for the Chinese.&nbsp;

The TikTok ban campaign is being driven by a "toxic American political atmosphere," according to an opinion piece published on Tuesday by the state-run Global Times, and it would go against free market principles. TikTok's Chinese origin is considered an&nbsp;"original sin" by US officials and lawmakers, it said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-over-two-dozen-state-govts-use-trackers-made-by-tiktoks-parent-company-report-574758">US: Over two dozen state govts use trackers made by TikTok’s parent company, says report</a>

TikTok announced it will hire Oracle Corp. to independently monitor against any intervention from Beijing as part of a billion-dollar investment plan to separate the app from its Chinese owners, reported&nbsp;the Wall Street Journal. The company claims that the procedures represent an unprecedented effort to reassure Americans that their data is secure.&nbsp;

Washington has banned TikTok, despite the fact that it is still quite popular nationwide. On Tuesday,&nbsp;Chew personally addressed US users in a TikTok video, drawing their attention to the potential ban. He claimed in the video that the app has 150 million US&nbsp;users, or nearly half the country's population.

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Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, is currently in the spotlight amid growing scepticism of the Chinese app around the world. The app is running the risk of being banned across the United States.

Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, is currently in the spotlight amid growing scepticism of the Chinese app around the world. The app is running the risk of being banned across the United States. On Thursday (March 23), the 40-year-old Singaporean will testify before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee on the app's data security and privacy policies, as well as its suspected connections to China, reported the BBC. The public face of TikTok, chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas, was questioned by Congress in 2022 over the alleged flow of the US's data to China. The company made a point of mentioning that Chew is not from China but rather is "a Singaporean based in Singapore" in a letter sent to MPs last June, underlining that it acts independently of parent company ByteDance. Chew, who leads one of the best-known apps in the world but is comparatively low profile, will be required to defend TikTok before some of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's more scathing critics. ALSO READ | TikTok’s monthly active users in US jump to 150mn, firm launches PR exercise to fix sullied image In an interview from the firm's WeWork headquarters in Washington, he stated that he does not see Thursday's meeting as a last-ditch attempt to save TikTok's US operations, but rather as an opportunity to explain what the company is attempting to do and to gather feedback from Congress members, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. "I look at it as an opportunity to do that, not a do-or-die" moment, he said. Shou Zi Chew's early days Born and raised in Singapore, Chew went to a prestigious Chinese-language school and speaks both Mandarin and English fluently. While completing his military conscription, he held the honourable position of officer in Singapore's armed services. Prior to enrolling at Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA and served as an intern at social media giant Facebook when it was still a start-up, Chew graduated from University College London with a Bachelor's in Economics, as per BBC reports. He reportedly spent five years working for the investment firm DST Global, where he led a team that invested early in ByteDance in 2013. ALSO READ | TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to testify that app never shared users’ data with Chinese government Furthermore, he spent two years working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. The Chinese smartphone powerhouse Xiaomi, where Chew later served as its chief financial officer and president of its international business, hired him to lead it through its 2018 IPO. ALSO WATCH | TikTok denies transferring data to China, CEO says 'never shared users' data' In March 2021, he left the company and joined ByteDance, where he was the first to hold the position of chief financial officer. He took over as TikTok CEO two months later, after his predecessor Kevin Mayer abruptly resigned due to the Trump administration's efforts to force the sale of TikTok's US assets. In February 2022, almost a year after assuming charge of the platform, he created his own TikTok account, @shou.time to share snippets of his personal life. Since then, Chew's over 18,000 followers have seen him at the Super Bowl and NBA games, meeting public figures like Bill Murray, and painfully attempting to dance with singer Ciara. He has worked the media circuit, sharing in interviews his love of golf and admiration for comic Kevin Hart. The father of two, who is married to Vivian Kao, the head of an investment firm, has also stated that he does not let his kids use TikTok because they are "too young." Challenging road ahead As US politicians demand TikTok transfer control of its US assets or face a ban, Chew is currently faced with one of the biggest challenges of his career. The issue has also been a source of contention for the Chinese. The TikTok ban campaign is being driven by a "toxic American political atmosphere," according to an opinion piece published on Tuesday by the state-run Global Times, and it would go against free market principles. TikTok's Chinese origin is considered an "original sin" by US officials and lawmakers, it said. ALSO READ | US: Over two dozen state govts use trackers made by TikTok’s parent company, says report TikTok announced it will hire Oracle Corp. to independently monitor against any intervention from Beijing as part of a billion-dollar investment plan to separate the app from its Chinese owners, reported the Wall Street Journal. The company claims that the procedures represent an unprecedented effort to reassure Americans that their data is secure. Washington has banned TikTok, despite the fact that it is still quite popular nationwide. On Tuesday, Chew personally addressed US users in a TikTok video, drawing their attention to the potential ban. He claimed in the video that the app has 150 million US users, or nearly half the country's population. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

EXPLAINED | Who is Shou Zi Chew? TikTok CEO attempting to save its US operations

TikTok is doing its best to assure the US government that they are not spying for Beijing. The popular Chinese social media app is reportedly offered to store American data in the United States itself.

TikTok in the US: TikTok's attempts to reassure government, security concerns surrounding the app

India has banned 47 Chinese apps which were clones of 59 Chinese apps which were banned in June. These include TikTok Lite,&nbsp;Cam Scanner advance.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-authorities-take-possession-of-closed-us-consulate-in-chengdu-foreign-ministry-316173">Chinese authorities take possession of closed US consulate in Chengdu</a>

Order was issued on Friday. The comes even has Indian govt tighten rule for Chinese companies to invest in India. Last week India amended&nbsp;General Financial Rules 2017 making it difficult for Chinese companies to be part of govt procurement.

The order said,"Any&nbsp;bidder from countries sharing a land border with India will be eligible to bid in any procurement whether of goods, services (including consultancy services and non-consultancy services) or works (including turnkey projects)&nbsp;only if the bidder is registered with the Competent Authority."

The Competent Authority for registration will be the Registration Committee constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Political and security clearance from the Ministries of External and Home Affairs respectively will be mandatory.

On June 29, India&nbsp;banned 59 Chinese apps including popular tiktok app after a violent face-off at Line Of Actual Contol in Eastern Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers died.&nbsp;Chinese forces also suffered casualties but haven't come out with a number.

India has banned 47 Chinese apps which were clones of 59 Chinese apps which were banned in June. These include TikTok Lite, Cam Scanner advance. Also read: Chinese authorities take possession of closed US consulate in Chengdu Order was issued on Friday.

India has banned 47 Chinese apps which were clones of 59 Chinese apps which were banned in June. These include TikTok Lite, Cam Scanner advance. Also read: Chinese authorities take possession of closed US consulate in Chengdu Order was issued on Friday. The comes even has Indian govt tighten rule for Chinese companies to invest in India. Last week India amended General Financial Rules 2017 making it difficult for Chinese companies to be part of govt procurement. The order said,"Any bidder from countries sharing a land border with India will be eligible to bid in any procurement whether of goods, services (including consultancy services and non-consultancy services) or works (including turnkey projects) only if the bidder is registered with the Competent Authority." The Competent Authority for registration will be the Registration Committee constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Political and security clearance from the Ministries of External and Home Affairs respectively will be mandatory. On June 29, India banned 59 Chinese apps including popular tiktok app after a violent face-off at Line Of Actual Contol in Eastern Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers died. Chinese forces also suffered casualties but haven't come out with a number.

India bans 47 Chinese apps that were clones of the 59 apps banned in June

The Indian Army has asked its personnel to delete 89 apps from their phones that include Facebook, TikTok, PUBG&nbsp;and Instagram.

It comes days after the government banned 59 Chinese apps following the India-China stand-off at Galwan Valley. The Army has added more apps to the list to plug the leak of classified information. India is not the first country to resort to this move, several militaries across the world have been pulling their guard against suspicious apps.

Soldiers with smartphones can be easy targets for the enemy especially at a border with war-mongering China. Cell phones are fearfully insecure with simple malware trap it could reveal strategic locations and positions. The Indian army has therefore banned the use of 89 apps with some very popular ones like Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.

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Now, soldiers must immediately uninstall them from video-streaming apps like Zoom to dating apps like Tinder. In fact, the armed forces had banned TikTok and Wechat much before the Indian government. For soldiers, a smartphone can be a morale booster but it can also undermine operational security. India is not the only country that has banned apps for the army. Countries like Turkey and Russia have banned the use of smartphones altogether at forward posts.

China warned its troops against cab-hailing apps saying they pose security risks. GPS detectors could pass on the user's location and personal information. China claimed hackers were collecting location data around military installations. In January, the US defence forces banned TikTok after a Pentagon directive. Now, the US navy has gone on a Twitter rant advising its sailors to not&nbsp;use TikTok.&nbsp;

"Guard up" says the Naval chief of information, "you don't need to be a think-tank expert to know that information control is important to the Chinese govt" the naval information chief added.

In 2017, Israeli Army had launched a smartphone for its soldiers, the encrypted phones allowed soldiers to send text messages, images and e-mails securely but since 2017, Hamas has tried thrice to honeytrap Israeli defence staff through dating apps. They attempted to dupe troops by posing as Israeli women. Now, Israel has put up posters in barracks saying "the enemy is listening, don't let Hamas entice you."

In 2016, Indonesia banned police and military personnel from playing pokemon go. The move came after a Frenchman entered a military base hunting for virtual pocket monsters which is&nbsp;done by visiting real-world sites, guided by the app.

Just a week before the police had fought off a gunman and foiled a suicide bombing attempt outside a police station. Some intelligence agencies are not only tracking troop movements, they also follow individuals when they go home.

Some NATO personnel in the Baltics and their families were apparently traced by Russian entities. Enemies will always exploit vulnerabilities - technological and human - smartphone apps expose both the weaknesses at once as social media posts can help find and track soldiers and pull the curtain on military activity.

The Indian Army has asked its personnel to delete 89 apps from their phones that include Facebook, TikTok, PUBG and Instagram. It comes days after the government banned 59 Chinese apps following the India-China stand-off at Galwan Valley.

The Indian Army has asked its personnel to delete 89 apps from their phones that include Facebook, TikTok, PUBG and Instagram. It comes days after the government banned 59 Chinese apps following the India-China stand-off at Galwan Valley. The Army has added more apps to the list to plug the leak of classified information. India is not the first country to resort to this move, several militaries across the world have been pulling their guard against suspicious apps. Soldiers with smartphones can be easy targets for the enemy especially at a border with war-mongering China. Cell phones are fearfully insecure with simple malware trap it could reveal strategic locations and positions. The Indian army has therefore banned the use of 89 apps with some very popular ones like Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. × Now, soldiers must immediately uninstall them from video-streaming apps like Zoom to dating apps like Tinder. In fact, the armed forces had banned TikTok and Wechat much before the Indian government. For soldiers, a smartphone can be a morale booster but it can also undermine operational security. India is not the only country that has banned apps for the army. Countries like Turkey and Russia have banned the use of smartphones altogether at forward posts. China warned its troops against cab-hailing apps saying they pose security risks. GPS detectors could pass on the user's location and personal information. China claimed hackers were collecting location data around military installations. In January, the US defence forces banned TikTok after a Pentagon directive. Now, the US navy has gone on a Twitter rant advising its sailors to not use TikTok. "Guard up" says the Naval chief of information, "you don't need to be a think-tank expert to know that information control is important to the Chinese govt" the naval information chief added. In 2017, Israeli Army had launched a smartphone for its soldiers, the encrypted phones allowed soldiers to send text messages, images and e-mails securely but since 2017, Hamas has tried thrice to honeytrap Israeli defence staff through dating apps. They attempted to dupe troops by posing as Israeli women. Now, Israel has put up posters in barracks saying "the enemy is listening, don't let Hamas entice you." In 2016, Indonesia banned police and military personnel from playing pokemon go. The move came after a Frenchman entered a military base hunting for virtual pocket monsters which is done by visiting real-world sites, guided by the app. Just a week before the police had fought off a gunman and foiled a suicide bombing attempt outside a police station. Some intelligence agencies are not only tracking troop movements, they also follow individuals when they go home. Some NATO personnel in the Baltics and their families were apparently traced by Russian entities. Enemies will always exploit vulnerabilities - technological and human - smartphone apps expose both the weaknesses at once as social media posts can help find and track soldiers and pull the curtain on military activity.

Indian Army asks soldiers to delete 89 apps; Facebook, PUBG, Instagram knocked out

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