State and federal legislators are beginning to oppose the usage of TikTok on government-issued gadgets. On Monday, New Jersey became the 21st state in the United States to prohibit the use of the popular social media app on government-owned smartphones.
Similar to other states that have passed similar measures, legislators in the Garden State are concerned about the potential for the Chinese government to collect sensitive information through the Bytedance app.
Murphy added, “Strengthening cybersecurity is essential to ensuring the overall safety and welfare of our state.”
“The proactive and preventive steps we are implementing today will safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and security of information assets controlled by the State of New Jersey. This resolute action will ensure the State’s cybersecurity remains unified against potential adversaries who aim to divide us.”
Ohio soon joined New Jersey in prohibiting the use of TikTok on government-issued smartphones. According to an executive order signed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the restriction is necessary for “maintaining the cybersecurity of the Ohio state government.”
DeWine’s executive order states, “Social media applications and platforms operating in China engage in covert data privacy and cybersecurity practises, including the collection of personal information, behavioural use data, biometric data, and other data contained on the devices of its users.”
“It is known that these social media programmes and platforms serve as a direct or indirect intelligence collection method for the CCP by exchanging sensitive personal and business information and data gathered from their users and their devices with the CCP.”
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