TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Education has blocked apps with high cybersecurity risks, such as TikTok and RedNote, from the Taiwan Academic Network and campus iTaiwan hotspots.

Deputy Education Minister Chu Chun-chang (朱俊彰) on Friday said the Ministry of Digital Affairs had also flagged WeChat, Weibo, and Baidu Cloud as posing a risk, per CNA. He added that TikTok has been penalized by multiple countries for posting material harmful to the mental and physical health of young people.

Chu said that under the Cyber Security Management Act and the Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights Protection Act, the ministry will protect school networks. This follows 2014 guidelines for using systems to block inappropriate content.

The protective measures include banning the download and installation, or use of these apps on official devices. The apps are also blocked on TANet and iTaiwan wireless hotspots at schools and agencies under the ministry.

In addition, the ministry will urge schools to ensure the appropriateness of their teaching materials. For media literacy education, teachers can make use of resources such as, “Don’t get lost in Xiaohongshu (RedNote), stay smart in youth” page and a short video literacy section.