More States Ban TikTok On Government-Issued Devices

Texas is the latest state to ban downloading and using the TikTok app on government-issued devices. Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday ordered state agencies to implement the ban, citing concerns over the app’s data-sharing practices with the Chinese government.

“TikTok harvests vast amounts of data from its users’ devices … and offers this trove of potentially sensitive information to the Chinese government,” Abbott said in a letter announcing the ban. 

TikTok, the popular video streaming app owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, Ltd., has seen similar bans in South Dakota, Maryland, South Carolina, and Nebraska. ByteDance has been facing mounting scrutiny from different aspects of the United Government regarding how it stores and utilizes US user data.

RELATED: FCC Commissioner Urges US Government To Ban TikTok

“While TikTok has claimed that it stores US data within the US, the company admitted in a letter to Congress that China-based employees can have access to US data. It has also been reported that ByteDance planned to use TikTok location information to surveil individual American citizens,” Abbott added.

Kyle Bass, a Dallas-based hedge fund executive and a known critic of the Chinese Communist Party, called on to President Biden to ban the app “once and for all.”

In 2020, then-President Donald Trump threatened to ban the app in the country for this very reason. But President Joe Biden walked back on his predecessor’s efforts but ordered a review of foreign-owned apps to determine whether they pose any security risks.

Abbott’s letter also cites China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law which requires businesses to assist in intelligence gathering including through data-sharing.

RELATED: Looks Like Trump Might Have Been Right About TikTok All Along

The Texas governor’s order covers all government-issued cellphones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and all devices “capable of internet connectivity.” State agencies will also be given a month to set policy on the use of the streaming service on their staff’s personal devices.

TikTok, on the other hand, continues to deny that it shares data with the Chinese government. “The concerns driving these bans are largely fueled by misinformation about our company,” they said in a statement, while Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s head of public policy for North America, said in an interview with CBS News on Wednesday that TikTok collects data similar to other apps.

“Maybe they should consider banning all social media apps from government phones,” Beckerman said.

Earlier in the year, leaked audio recordings from over 80 internal TikTok meetings show that China-based employees of ByteDance, the video platform’s parent company, repeatedly accessed nonpublic data from users in the United States.


Information for this briefing was found via CBS News, The Guardian, and the companies and sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Video Articles

Four Countries Control the Fertilizer That Feeds the World | Sage Potash

$10,000 Gold Is Just A Question of Time | Florian Grummes

What Happens If Silver Finally Breaks $50? | Gary Thompson – Silver47

Recommended

Emerita Resources Expands El Cura Drill Program By 10,000 Metres As Deposit Remains Open For Expansion

ESGold Signs MOU For Tailings Project In Colombia With Grades Up To 42 g/t Gold, 280 g/t Silver

Related News

No More TikTok For America: US Senator Looks To Legislate Ban On China’s ByteDance App

The United States might soon be saying goodbye to TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned video-streaming app...

Wednesday, January 25, 2023, 05:32:00 PM

Ontario School Boards Sue Social Media Platforms For “Rewiring” Kids, Ask For $4 Billion In Claims

Four major school boards in Ontario have initiated legal action against tech giants Meta Platforms...

Thursday, March 28, 2024, 10:40:00 AM

Meta Expands Facebook Reels Globally In A Bid To Rival TikTok

Meta Platforms’ (Nasdaq: FB) flagship Facebook announced on Tuesday that it is expanding the availability...

Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 10:04:00 AM

Texas Adds HSBC to Energy Sanctions List

British multinational bank HSBC (LON: HSBA) has been added to Texas’ energy sanctions list, Comptroller...

Thursday, March 23, 2023, 04:03:00 PM

TikTok May Be Gone In US By Sunday As Supreme Court Signals Upholding Ban

The U.S. Supreme Court is reportedly set to uphold a law mandating the sale or...

Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 03:49:00 PM