US Government Agencies Ordered to Remove TikTok from Federal Devices
TECHDIGEST– The White House has ordered all federal agencies to remove the Chinese-owned app, TikTok, from their devices and systems within the next 30 days. In an effort to protect U.S. data and prevent potential breaches, the Office of Management and Budget Director, Shalanda Young, issued a guidance memorandum to all agencies, which stated that they must eliminate TikTok from their phones and systems and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company. This ban, which was ordered by Congress late last year, follows similar actions taken by Canada, the European Union, Taiwan, and more than half of U.S. states.
READALSO:Canada Bans TikTok on Government-issued Devices Over Privacy Concerns
While the device ban may impact only a small portion of TikTok’s U.S. user base, it adds to the mounting calls for an outright ban on the video-sharing app. National security concerns surrounding China have escalated in recent weeks after a Chinese balloon was found drifting over the U.S. The Trump administration had attempted to ban TikTok last year, citing concerns that the app could be used by the Chinese government to spy on Americans, but the ban was blocked by the courts.
In response to the allegations, ByteDance-owned TikTok has repeatedly stated that the concerns are fueled by misinformation and has denied using the app to spy on Americans. The new action taken by the White House does not affect the more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on private or company-owned devices. TikTok did not immediately comment on the White House memo.
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The U.S. Congress had previously voted to prohibit federal employees from using the Chinese-owned video app on government-owned devices and gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue agency directives. This latest vote was the most recent action by U.S. lawmakers to crack down on Chinese companies amid national security fears that Beijing could use them to spy on Americans.
Many government agencies, including the White House, Department of Defence, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, had already banned TikTok from government devices before the vote. The TikTok ban does not apply if there are national security, law enforcement, or security research activities, but agency leadership must approve these activities. Young’s memo stated that “blanket exceptions applying to an entire agency are not permitted.”
On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to vote on a bill that would give President Joe Biden the authority to ban TikTok from all U.S. devices. Representative Mike McCaul, the committee chair, stated that “my bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten U.S. national security. Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the (Chinese Communist Party) a backdoor to all their personal information. It’s a spy balloon into their phone.”
However, the American Civil Liberties Union opposes a congressional ban on TikTok, arguing that such a ban would be an attack on free speech and could lead to the censorship of other apps. The White House memo stated that within 90 days, agencies must address any use of TikTok by IT vendors through contracts, and within 120 days, agencies will include a new prohibition on TikTok in all new solicitations.
Earlier on Monday, Canada announced a ban on TikTok from government-issued devices, stating that it presents an “unacceptable” level of risk to privacy and security, adding to the growing rift between the two countries. A TikTok spokesperson said that the Canadian ban was issued “without citing any specific security concern or contacting us with questions.” Last week, the European Union’s two biggest policy-making institutions also banned Tik Tok from staff phones for cybersecurity reasons.
The move to ban TikTok from federal devices and systems is part of the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to secure digital infrastructure and protect the privacy and security of the American people.
