The UK is banning TikTok on government devices — joining the US, Canada, and the EU — despite a charm offensive dubbed 'Project Clover,' report says

• The UK will join the EU, US, and Canada in banning TikTok on government devices, per Bloomberg.
• TikTok execs had doubled down on efforts to convince UK policy advisers that their data is safe.
• The Chinese-owned app announced plans to open two more data centers in Europe to protect user data.

The UK is the latest region to ban TikTok on government devices, Bloomberg reported.

The Times of London earlier reported that the ban would be recommended after a UK security review raised concerns over the safety of sensitive data, before a source familiar with the plans told Bloomberg that TikTok would be banned on government devices.

Meanwhile, the EU's executive body, the European Commission, last month told staff they have until March 15 to delete the app from their phones, per The Guardian.

It follows similar bans in the US and Canada, over fears that the Chinese-owned app could gather sensitive information about government employees and pass it on to China's government or intelligence services.

But the latest ban comes despite TikTok's "Project Clover" – a charm offensive to convince European lawmakers that users' data will be safe. 

As part of the project, executives met with British policy advisers last Monday, but some attendees told The Wall Street Journal that, while they appreciated the transparency efforts, they still remain skeptical that TikTok could refuse an order from the Chinese government. 

"While we await details of any specific concerns the UK government may have, we would be disappointed by such a move," a TikTok spokesperson said. "Similar decisions elsewhere have been based on misplaced fears and seemingly driven by wider geopolitics, but we remain committed to working with the government to address any concerns."

TikTok said it was building two more data centers in Ireland and Norway to ensure some 150 million users' data in Europe is stored locally. "Any data access will not only comply with the relevant data protection laws but also have to first go through these security gateways and additional checks," the company said.

An EU spokesperson previously told the Guardian of its ban: "This measure aims to protect the commission against cybersecurity threats and actions which may be exploited for cyber-attacks against the corporate environment of the commission."

The UK's Cabinet Office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.