If anything that the Pentagon will always be wary about, it is the presence of Chinese tech in their communications and computer networks that may compromise national security. With reports coming from cyber security researchers of mobile apps suspected to be sending information to Beijing servers, the branches in the U.S. Military are making sure that servicemen and women refrain from using devices and mobile apps on their issued phones that are made by Chinese companies or backed by Chinese companies.

Huawei is the most prominent one given it is a world leader in communications and network equipment that the U.S. government has told its agencies to avoid using equipment made by the companies as well as advised allies to refrain from using them.

Now, the latest to be included into the ban is TikTok, very popular video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance which is based in Beijing. Users can create short music and lip-synch videos, around 3 to 15 seconds long, or loop short video clips. Over a billion downloads of the app was recorded as of early 2019.

According to Military.com, before the ban was put into effect, U.S. Army recruiters have been using the app after finding it to be an effective tool to reaching out to young people. Now, following the U.S. Navy, they consider it to be a cyber security threat:

The policy reversal on TikTok comes after the release of a Dec. 16 Defense Department Cyber Awareness Message identifying "TikTok as having potential security risks associated with its use," according to the message.

The guidance directs all Defense Department employees to "be wary of applications you download, monitor your phones for unusual and unsolicited texts etc., and delete them immediately and uninstall TikTok to circumvent any exposure of personal information."

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. James Avery/10th Mountain Division PAO)

The fears of the military establishment is based on the Chinese government’s requirements promulgated in 2015 that Chinese companies and companies doing business in China to turn over information when required, have their software inspected and that backdoors should be built into these for access by the government. Also, in 2017, China’s National Intelligence Law makes it mandatory that organisations and citizens to support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work.

Personnel are not being disallowed to download and use the app on their own personal phones, but are cautioned to exercise care in using such apps that may just leak information about themselves and their contacts. All Department of Defense employees are required to undergo cyber awareness annually and it also covers social media as they can be avenues of threats.