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Norwegian parliament joins the government in TikTok ban

Norway's parliament (Storting) has decided to adopt the ban TikTok and Telegram on work devices that the government implemented for ministers and officials earlier this week.

Pictured is the Norwegian parliament.
Norway's Parliament (pictured) has decided to implement a ban on TikTok and Telegram. Photo by Marco Süssi on Unsplash

The ban comes after the government announced ministers and officials would no longer be allowed the apps on phones used for official government purposes.

“The Presidency has today decided that the apps TikTok and Telegram are not allowed to be installed on devices with access to the Storting’s systems. The decision is in line with NSM’s recommendation. In addition, the administration has made its own assessments,” Masud Gharahkhani, President of the Storting, announced.

The ban on the two apps is official for MPs, with the President of the Storting advising they be removed as quickly as possible. Employees with access to parliament’s systems have also been asked to remove the apps.

Governments in Britain, the United States and the European Commission have banned TikTok on work devices. TikTok acknowledged in November that some employees in China could access European user data and admitted in December that employees had used the data to spy on journalists.

The group has, however, insisted that the Chinese government has no control over or access to its data. Meanwhile, Telegram is being banned over similar fears of espionage from Russia.

Last year, the Norwegian Minister of Justice, Emilie Enger Mehl, found herself in hot water over her use of TikTok and having it installed on a work phone. She said she had used the app to try and reach a younger audience.

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UKRAINE

Norway accelerating Ukraine aid

Norway's Prime Minister said Tuesday his country would accelerate its military and civilian aid for Ukraine for this year by seven billion kroner to a total of 22 billion kroner (£2 billion).

Norway accelerating Ukraine aid

The additional funds will be brought forward from a 75 billion kroner package the Scandinavian country has pledged to Ukraine covering 2023 to 2027 for military and civilian aid, which remains unchanged.

“It’s a matter of life and death for the people of Ukraine”, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told a press conference.

“It is also a question of security and stability in Europe, and therefore also for Norway”, he said following a meeting with opposition leaders to secure a broad consensus on the aid.

Of the seven billion brought forward, six will go military aid, primarily anti-air defence and ammunition — which are desperately needed by Ukraine as it faces a Russian offensive in the east.

Norway will contribute to the financing of German and Czech initiatives in these two areas, Store said, while stressing that Russia was deliberately bombing “hospitals, residential areas and power stations”.

Of the 75 billion package dedicated to Ukraine, Norway will have used some 39.5 billion kroner by the end of 2024.

Norway — a major oil and gas producer that has benefited greatly from surging prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — is one of the main contributors to Ukraine, according to a ranking by the Kiel Institute.

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