National Security Council (NSC) Usec. Jonathan Malaya on Thursday, Nov. 9, said they are eyeing to recommend the ban of the popular video-sharing application TikTok for workers in the security sector in order to prevent China from monitoring them.
In an interview during DZRH Damdaming Bayan, Malaya mentioned that police officers, military officers, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel are among those who will be forbidden from using TikTok.
"Pinag-aaralan namin ngayon yung tungkol naman sa pagba-ban ng TikTok. Ngunit ang ban na ito ay para lamang sa mga nagtatrabaho sa security sector ng ating bansa. For example, mga military, pulis, mga nagta-trabaho sa NSC. Ang pinag-aaralan namin ay hindi pangkalahatan, ito ay para lamang sa mga nagta-trabaho sa mga security sector," he said.
Usec. Jonathan Malaya, NSC, sa pag-iwas ng DND at AFP sa paggamit ng TikTok: Sa totoo, wala pang policy na inilabas ang pamahalaan diyan. Yung nilabas ng DND was paggamit ng AI. #DamdamingBayan #SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) November 9, 2023
LIVE: https://t.co/wHXctjxUNG pic.twitter.com/j9C35tUElo
Malaya said there have been concerns that China utilizes TikTok to monitor an individual's movement.
"'Yung mga app na 'yan, may mga features na pwedeng gamitin para malaman ang galaw mo, yung location mo, yung online behavior mo, and that can compromise national security," he added.
The NSC official said they focused on the security sector because of their "vulnerability".
He then cited that China can spy on navy officers who use TikTok while waiting to sail.
"Siyempre nagmamanman ang Tsina kung kailan tayo magpapadala ng tropa sa Pag-asa, o kahit saan-saan sa West Philippine Sea. Eh kapag tahimik ang TikTok, baka isipin ng China na lumayag na ang ating Philippine Navy," Malaya continued.
The NSC official also mentioned that TikTok adheres to Chinese law as it is owned by a Chinese company.
Chinese law, according to Malaya, mandates all companies in China to work along with the Chinese government.
He said that a task force tasked to study the TikTok ban has been established, and they may submit the recommendation to National Security Eduardo Año by next month, December.
"Nag-meeting na kami. Natanggap na rin namin ang sagot ni Tiktok kasi we also have to give TikTok a due process. Infairness sa kanila, sila ang nagpunta dito sa NSC at nagsumite na sila ng kanilang kasagutan doon sa mga alegasyon laban sa kanila. Tuloy-tuloy ang aming meeting kasi hihinitay na rin ni NSA Año ang recommendation," Malaya said.
Año earlier told DZRH that they will not hesitate to recommend the banning of TikTok in the Philippines if proven that it is being used by China for cyber espionage.
In an article by Associated Press published in April, several countries, including United States, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Pakistan, Norway, and India, have implemented partial or total bans on TikTok.
Based on Data Reportal's data released in February, there are 43.43 million TikTok users who are 18 years old and above in Philippines in 2023.
