Media reports Dutch government possibly to prohibit employees from using Facebook
(MENAFN) In a bid to address growing concerns over data security, the Dutch government is contemplating a ban on public servants' use of Facebook, according to reports from De Telegraaf newspaper. Digitalization Minister Alexandra van Huffelen revealed that a formal report on the matter is imminent, citing longstanding reservations about how Meta, Facebook's United States parent company that also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, manages sensitive user information.
The initiative to assess the appropriateness of government officials using facebook was set in motion last November when the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) was tasked with providing guidance. Minister van Huffelen indicated that the AP is expected to release its response soon. Expressing dissatisfaction with Meta's response to their concerns, sources disclosed to De Telegraaf that preparations for a memo imposing a ban are already underway at the government level.
This move follows a trend in the Dutch government's cautious approach to digital platforms, as evidenced by the ban on officials installing the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok on their work phones last year, citing espionage concerns. The government then introduced a list of pre-approved apps for government devices, hinting at the potential exclusion of Facebook and Instagram (another Meta platform) from the list in the future.
Digitalization Minister van Huffelen, in a recent development, made headlines by posting what she termed her "last-ever update" on X, a platform formerly known as Twitter and owned by billionaire Elon Musk. She cited personal reasons for this decision, pointing to X's refusal to comply with European Union data laws as the driving force behind her departure.
As the Dutch government takes strides toward safeguarding sensitive information and adhering to data protection standards, the potential ban on Facebook for public servants reflects a broader global conversation on the role of social media platforms in handling user data and the measures governments are willing to take to mitigate risks associated with these platforms.
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