TikTok's data collection practices are a key factor behind the Australian government's decision to ban the app from government devices.

Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) officials revealed in a parliamentary inquiry into foreign interference through social media that TikTok has the ability to gather substantial amounts of user information, including phone numbers, contacts, IP addresses, and SIM card numbers. 

This data, when aggregated, creates a unique fingerprint for each device. The ASD's analysis of the risks associated with such data informed the advisory for the TikTok ban.

TikTok representatives appeared before the committee and outlined their commitment to user security. 

However, Peter Anstee from the Department of Home Affairs pointed out that data collection is a common practice among social media platforms and not unique to TikTok. 

Anstee also revealed that a review of privacy practices of social media platforms, submitted to the government earlier this year, is unlikely to be made public due to its classification.