Many governments are cautious about TikTok due to its ties to China.

Countries that have implemented partial or total bans on TikTok:

TikTok, owned by Chinese technology company Bytedance, has consistently claimed that it does not share data with the Chinese government. The company asserts that storing American user data in the U.S. will keep it beyond China’s jurisdiction. TikTok also refutes allegations that it gathers more user data than American social media firms.

However, these claims failed to convince U.S. lawmakers, who interrogated the company’s CEO recently. Some legislators even advocated for a complete ban on TikTok for American users, following reports that Washington is considering compelling ByteDance to divest TikTok.

List of Countries That Have Banned Tiktok

AFGHANISTAN:
– The Taliban leadership in Afghanistan banned TikTok and the game PUBG in 2022 to protect young people from being misled.

AUSTRALIA:
– TikTok was banned from devices issued by the Australian federal government following advice from the country’s intelligence and security agencies, according to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

BELGIUM:

Belgium implemented a temporary ban on TikTok on devices owned or funded by the federal government due to concerns regarding cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo announced the six-month ban following alerts from the country’s state security service and cybersecurity center.

CANADA
– Government-issued devices in Canada are prohibited from using TikTok due to privacy and security risks.
– Employees are also forbidden from downloading the app in the future.

DENMARK
– Denmark’s Defense Ministry has banned TikTok on work phones of its employees.
– Staff members who have installed TikTok are required to remove the app promptly.
– Reasons for the ban include significant security concerns and minimal work-related necessity.

EUROPEAN UNION
– The European Parliament, European Commission, and EU Council have enforced bans on TikTok on staff devices.
– Lawmakers and staff under the European Parliament’s ban are advised to delete the TikTok app from their personal devices.

FRANCE:

Ban on Social Media Apps: Recreational use of TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram on government employees’ phones is prohibited. Concerns about inadequate data security measures led to this ban.

• The French government did not specify the apps but mentioned it was in response to actions taken by other governments against TikTok.

INDIA:

Nationwide Ban on Chinese Apps: In 2020, India banned TikTok and several other Chinese apps, including WeChat, due to privacy and security worries. The ban followed a clash at the Himalayan border that resulted in casualties among Indian soldiers. Companies were given an opportunity to address privacy and security concerns, but the ban became permanent in January 2021.

LATVIA:

• Foreign Ministry’s Action: Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics announced the deletion of his TikTok account.
• The use of TikTok on official foreign ministry smartphones is also prohibited.

NETHERLANDS:

• Ban on Apps for Government Employees:
• Dutch central government banned apps like TikTok on employee work phones due to data security concerns.
• While TikTok was not explicitly mentioned, civil servants are advised against using apps from countries with cyber programs that may pose a threat to Dutch interests on their work devices.

NEW ZEALAND:

• Lawmakers and staff at New Zealand’s Parliament are prohibited from having the TikTok app on their work phones based on advice from government cybersecurity experts. The app will be removed from all devices with access to the parliamentary network, with exceptions made for those who need it for their democratic duties.

NORWAY:
– The Norwegian parliament banned TikTok on work devices following a warning from the Justice Ministry. The app is not allowed on phones issued to government employees and should be removed from devices with access to the assembly’s systems promptly. Oslo and Bergen urged municipal employees to do the same.

PAKISTAN:
– Pakistani authorities have temporarily banned TikTok multiple times since October 2020 due to concerns about promoting immoral content.

TAIWAN:
– In December 2022, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok after a national security risk warning from the FBI. Chinese-made software, including TikTok and similar apps, is not permitted on government devices like mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers.

UNITED KINGDOM:
– British authorities banned TikTok from mobile phones used by government ministers and civil servants in mid-March as a precautionary security measure. The ban extends to all official devices in the British Parliament, the Scottish government, London City Hall, and the BBC urged staff to delete TikTok from corporate devices unless for editorial and marketing purposes.

LONDON (AP):

Several governments have prohibited the widely used video-sharing platform TikTok on devices provided to their employees due to escalating privacy and cybersecurity worries. Some countries have even implemented countrywide bans on the app.

UNITED STATE:
– In early March, the U.S. government agencies were given 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices due to data security concerns. While the ban is limited to government devices, some lawmakers are pushing for a complete ban. Over half of the 50 U.S. states, Congress, and the U.S. armed forces have also banned TikTok from official devices. China criticized the U.S. ban, calling it an abuse of state power.

A recent report by JPMorgan Chase revealed that major global technology companies, including Alphabet, Amazon’s AWS, Meta, and Microsoft, consumed around 90 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2022.

Report: Tech Giants Consumed 2,500 Times More Electricity Than Entire Nigeria in 2022

This is approximately 2,500 times more than the 36 gigawatt-hours generated by Nigeria, highlighting significant differences in energy usage between these tech giants and Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.

The report, presented at a conference in Abuja, starkly contrasts with Nigeria’s challenges of inconsistent power supply, worsened by outdated infrastructure leading to frequent national grid failures. The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics recorded 46 nationwide blackouts between 2017 and 2023 due to these infrastructure shortcomings.

These tech companies are rapidly evolving, with their energy consumption projected to double by 2026, driven by the increasing demand for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency computations.

“The big techs were said to have collectively invested $40 billion between January and March, most of it in data centers to deal with growing artificial intelligence workloads,” reported the Economic Times.

– Nigeria is encountering significant challenges. Approximately 40% of electricity consumption in the country relies on backup generators due to the reliability issues of the Nigerian power grid.

• After the removal of electricity subsidies for Band A customers, leading to an increase in the tariff to N206 per kilowatt-hour, Nigeria has witnessed widespread protests.

• The populace is calling for improved power supply conditions to be addressed prior to any tariff changes.

With the recent spike in electricity tariffs and rising fuel costs in Nigeria, premium electricity consumers, referred to as Band A customers, are increasingly embracing solar power as a sustainable option.

Band A Customers Switching from Pre-Paid Meters to Solar as Energy Costs Triple due to Tariff Hike

Following a substantial surge in electricity expenses, which have reportedly surged by more than 300% since April due to the government discontinuing subsidies for electricity in Band A feeders, this shift has gained momentum.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) adjusted the tariff for Band A consumers to N225 per kilowatt-hour in April from the previous rate of N68, with a slight reduction to N206.80/kWh in May.

Despite some reduction, demands from organized labor and other stakeholders persist to revert the tariff to the original N68/kWh, reflecting widespread consumer dissatisfaction.

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, argues that reverting the tariff is impractical and would lead the nation into darkness, asserting that the tariff adjustment is crucial for attracting investments and enhancing liquidity in the power sector, a view not universally embraced.

Critics highlight that the tariff hike disproportionately impacts not only the wealthy but also numerous low-income individuals residing within Band A feeder locations, such as pensioners, civil servants, and small business owners.

The escalated costs have compelled certain consumers to significantly curtail their electricity consumption, adversely affecting their overall quality of life.

Oduro Oladunni, a resident affected by the hike, shared his predicament, stating;

“Before the increase, my household’s monthly electricity expense was around N60,000, but now we’ve had to pay N129,000 in April alone. We now limit our electricity use to late at night to manage costs, which has forced us to cut back on essentials like food.”

Additional Information on the Shift to Solar Energy in Nigeria:

• Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, led a protest at the NERC head office in Abuja, seeking transparency regarding new power plant developments and advocating for the removal of taxes contributing to citizens’ financial burdens.

• Many Band A consumers are now reconsidering their dependence on grid electricity due to the challenges posed by rising tariffs.

• The transition to solar power is viewed as not only a financially prudent choice but also a necessity for ensuring stable and affordable electricity supply.

• Social media commentator Morris Monye emphasized the growing popularity of solar energy, highlighting the benefits of transitioning away from Band A tariffs.

• Morris Monye shared his personal experience, noting that investing in solar panels and batteries has significantly reduced his reliance on the grid and provided cost-effective power solutions.

• Angel Thomas, another advocate for solar energy, mentioned that his investment in solar panels greatly improved the power supply for his mother’s essential household needs, showcasing the tangible benefits of switching to solar energy.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has ordered Pay-TV operator, Multichoice Nigeria to give subscribers on the DStv and GOtv platforms one month of free subscription and fined Multichoice N150 million for challenging the court’s jurisdiction and disobeying its order to not increase prices.

Tribunal Mandates Multichoice to Provide Nigerians on DStv, GOtv with One Month of Free Subscription

The rulings were made on Friday, 7th June, by a three-man panel chaired by Justice Thomas Okosu.

Barrister Festus Onifade took Multichoice and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to the tribunal over the pay-tv operator’s decision to raise subscription fees.

The Tribunal restrained MultiChoice from raising its rates until the hearing and determination of a motion filed by Barrister Onifade.

The FCCPC accused the Pay TV of raising fees without proper notice to customers and sought interim orders against Pay TV.

A three-member tribunal chaired by Saratu Shafii ruled in favour of Onifade by restraining Multichoice from increasing prices, pending further court proceedings.

Multichoice’s lawyer, Moyosore .J. Onibanjo (SAN), filed a preliminary objection to the suit, arguing that such a price dispute had been decided in favor of the client before.

Onifade argued that the issue was about whether Multichoice Nigeria gave adequate notice regarding the May 1, 2024 price TV subscription increase, not about price regulation or increase.

“It is our submission that the 8-day notice issued by Multichoice Nigeria  is insufficient in law. A monthly subscriber should be given at least a month.

“Dismiss this application (by Multichoice )for being a waste of time of the court,” Onifade prayed.

The Tribunal was asked to instruct Multi-choice Nigeria Limited to pay N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) or another suitable amount for disobeying an Interim Order.

FCCPC’ counsel, Nikiomari Abeke, mentioned no opposition to Multichoice Nigeria’s application but agreed to comply with the tribunal’s directives.

Justice Okosu’s ruling highlighted that the FCCPC Act grants the tribunal jurisdiction over commercial activities nationwide.

“The jurisdiction of this tribunal extends to all business activities within Nigeria,” Okosu said.

He mentioned reviewing the relevant provisions referenced by the parties and found no requirement for an aggrieved consumer to file a complaint with the President of Nigeria or the Price Control Board to enforce their rights.

Additionally, the judge noted that the claimant had sent letters to the FCCPC prior to initiating the case.

“I have come to the conclusion that this tribunal has the jurisdiction to preside over consumer rights as in the instant case and I resolve this issue against Multichoice,” the judge said.

The Tribunal observed that Multichoice had defied its temporary orders, particularly criticizing the company for raising DSTV and GOTV prices, which it deemed unacceptable.

Multichoice’s preliminary objection for disregarding the interim orders was dismissed by the Tribunal.

As a result, an administrative penalty was imposed on Multichoice by the Tribunal for its failure to adhere to the tribunal’s directive.

“The first defendant is hereby mandated to pay N150 million penalty.

“Multichoice is hereby ordered to give Nigerians one month free subscription.”

Multichoice, the prominent satellite television provider in Nigeria, has had to revise its subscription fees for DStv and GOtv users in the country.

MultiChoice Required to Lower Prices for DStv and GOtv Subscribers Following Court Order

According to Afric Showbiz, this adjustment follows a court directive that compelled the company to stop its recent price increase, which resulted in a notable decrease in its number of subscribers.