Belgian Police Zones Get Green Light to Use TikTok

Belgian local police zones are now permitted to communicate via TikTok, Minister of Interior Affairs Bernard Quintin (MR) confirmed on Friday. The policy shift, which reverses a previous restriction limiting TikTok use to investigative purposes, marks a strategic effort to engage younger audiences through the social media platforms they actively use, as VRT NWS reported.

Why the Change

Many police zones already communicate through Facebook and Instagram, but those channels are increasingly failing to reach younger demographics. “Police zones have many relevant messages for young people, for example about alcohol and traffic, drug use, online safety, cybercrime and prevention,” Minister Quintin explained. “If we want to reach young people, we must also communicate through the channels they use. Of course, this must happen in a safe and responsible manner.”

Studies indicate that TikTok’s primary user base falls between ages 13 and 24—a demographic that police have struggled to reach through traditional social media. “That’s actually a target group we completely miss with our messages,” said Amber Mach, communications officer at Politiezone LaMa (Lanaken-Maasmechelen), which piloted the initiative.

Strict Security Conditions

The new framework comes with rigorous safeguards designed to address the security concerns that have made TikTok controversial across Belgian government institutions. Personal data, operational information, and other police data may not be shared on the platform. The app may only be used on a separate, isolated device without access to the internal police network, and the TikTok account must remain completely separate from the professional police environment.

“The most important security measure is that the account remains completely separate from police systems,” Mach said. “A separate device is used that does not connect to the local police wifi network and is not linked to official email addresses.”

The decision follows consultation with the Vaste Commissie van de Lokale Politie (VCLP), the Standing Committee of Local Police.

A Pilot That Paved the Way

Politiezone Lanaken-Maasmechelen (LaMa) in Limburg had been experimenting with TikTok since March 2026, operating under a strict internal protocol with a separate device isolated from police systems. The pilot demonstrated that safe TikTok use is possible with proper safeguards, serving as a model for the broader rollout.

Dorien Baens of Politiezone LRH (Limburg Regio Hoofdstad), which had advocated for TikTok access since February, welcomed the decision. “We are of course already active on social media for a long time,” she said. “Only we notice that young people no longer use platforms like Facebook. We would very much like to reach young people on their channels.”

A Notable Exception

The decision stands in sharp contrast to the broader Belgian government policy on TikTok. Since March 2023, the federal government, Wallonia, and Flanders have all banned TikTok on government work devices over concerns about Chinese espionage and data security. The European Commission has similarly prohibited the app on EU officials’ work phones.

The police exception reflects a pragmatic recognition that public safety messaging must meet young people where they are. In neighboring countries, the approach has already proven effective—police services in the Netherlands and Germany actively use TikTok to inform, raise awareness, and strengthen the bond between police and society.

Timing Raises Questions

Just two weeks before the police announcement, the European Commission ruled that TikTok’s default settings for minors’ accounts do not meet the safety standards of the Digital Services Act (DSA), as VRT NWS reported. The Commission found that minors can make their accounts public, that videos of 16- and 17-year-olds can be automatically recommended via the ‘For You’ page, and that even private accounts leave minors too easily findable via follower lists.

The ruling—which targets the very demographic Belgian police aim to reach—raises questions about how police TikTok accounts will interact with underage users and whether the DSA findings will influence the implementation of the new policy.

What’s Next

The framework is now in place, but individual police zones will need to navigate the new rules as they set up their accounts. The VCLP will play a role in overseeing and regulating police TikTok use, though specific oversight mechanisms have yet to be detailed.

Minister Quintin is simultaneously pursuing a broader reform of Belgian police zones, aiming to reduce their number from 176 to approximately 60 through mergers. The TikTok initiative is part of this wider modernization effort, positioning Belgian police communication strategy for a digital-first future while navigating the complex security landscape surrounding the platform.

As police zones begin to establish their presence on TikTok, the balance between reaching young audiences and maintaining rigorous security standards will be closely watched—both in Belgium and across Europe.