New York City (NYC) has joined the growing list of United States (US) jurisdictions that banned TikTok, a giant China-based social network, from government-owned devices.
The NYC Cyber Command office cited security concerns about the Chinese-owned social media app.
New York City Bans TikTok on Government-Issued Devices
In this photo illustration, the social media application logo for TikTok is displayed on the screen of an iPhone in front of a US flag and Chinese flag background in Washington, DC, on March 16, 2023.
New York City has taken a stand as the latest sheriff in town, officially slamming the door on TikTok's access to government-owned devices. Amid growing concerns about data security and lingering geopolitical tension, the city that never sleeps banned the sensational Chinese-owned app.
According to The South China Morning Post, The Big Apple is the latest state in the US to ban the phenomenal video-sharing service over Chinese cybersecurity concerns. And as such, NYC-owned mobile devices, including those given to employees, have merely 30 days to uninstall TikTok on their gadgets.
The city's Cyber Command determined that TikTok "posed a security threat to the city's technical networks," according to a statement from Mayor Eric Adams' office. The ban applies to all city agencies and employees, promptly requiring them to remove the app from their devices within 30 days.
But despite the ban, the New York State will continue using TikTok for some of its platforms, such as the I Love NY, NY.gov, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The usage is limited to marketing and public outreach purposes amid the phenomenal popularity of the app amongst Americans.
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TikTok Ban in the US
The TikTok logo is displayed on signage outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California, on March 16, 2023.
Business World Online notes that TikTok, a Chinese-owned app by ByteDance, draws roughly 150 million users in the US. Amid its phenomenal rise in America, US lawmakers have targeted the video-sharing app, citing concerns about a potential influence by the Chinese government.
It is worth noting that the New York State initiated a ban before the NYC, ditching the Chinese-owned app on its state-owned devices.
US lawmakers have previously accused TikTok of alarmingly sharing user data with the Chinese government. This time, the Big Apple ban is the latest in a series of restrictions on the video-sharing service in the country.
As per a report by First Post, roughly 35 states have pursued a similar ban on TikTok. Last May, Montana kicked off a bold move to ban the Chinese app, preventing app stores from giving access to Montana users.
Republican governor Greg Gianforte asserts that the ban is "the most decisive action" to protect the data privacy of Montana folks. He accused the Chinese Communist Party of harvesting the sensitive information of TikTok users.
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