The US army has banned soldiers from using TikTok on government-owned phones, calling the popular Chinese-owned video app a cyber threat, according to a report by Military.com.

The action follows a similar decision by the American navy in December, underscoring the seriousness with which the US government is taking TikTok's potential national security implications.

In India, IT ministry asked TikTok, one of the world’s most popular, in July to explain how it collects user data and creates awareness for safe use of its platform. TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects. Analytics firm Sensor Tower estimates India to be its largest market.

A court in Tamil Nadu ordered the Union government in April, to prohibit TikTok downloads, saying the app was encouraging pornography and could expose children to sexual predators. But the court reversed its order later that month.

In the US, the Department of Defense issued a guidance asking employees against using the app, and lawmakers have called for investigations into its security. Troops will still be allowed to use the app on their personal devices, though officials have warned military personnel to be careful about divulging personal information, reported Axios.

The US action against TikTok comes as Swadesh Jagran Manch, affiliated to the RSS, raised concerns against government permission to China’s Huawei Technologies to participate in the upcoming 5G trials.