The White House says federal agencies have 30 days to remove TikTok from government-issued devices
The White House announced Monday that it is giving federal agencies 30 days to remove TikTok from all government-issued devices.
Monday’s move comes as the popular Chinese-owned social media app faces increased scrutiny in Washington and states across the country over security concerns — with critics claiming the Chinese government could use TikTok to gain access to private user data or spread disinformation. is
TikTok is already not allowed on White House devices — and some other federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, have similar restrictions.
Now, the rest of the federal agencies will follow. According to Guidance Memorandum From the Office of Management and Budget, all executive agencies and their contractors must remove any app from TikTok or its parent company, ByteDance, within 30 days of Monday’s notice — with a few exceptions for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.
“The Biden-Harris administration has invested heavily in protecting our nation’s digital infrastructure and preventing foreign adversaries from accessing Americans’ data,” said federal Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeRusha. “This guidance is part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the security and privacy of the American people.”
Banned on TikTok? Bans on the popular video app are spreading across the US
More:Is TikTok the new Google? Why TikTok is Gen Z’s Favorite Search Engine
This guidance meets the requirements of the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act,” which was passed by Congress in December.
Reuters First report on guidelines issued on Monday.
TikTok, China responds to White House move
Following the White House’s move Monday, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter called such restrictions of the social media app “little more than political theater.”
“TikTok’s ban on federal devices was passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately that approach serves as a blueprint for other governments around the world,” Obervater said in a statement sent to USA Today. “We hope that when it comes to addressing national security concerns about TikTok beyond government devices, Congress will explore solutions that don’t have the effect of censoring the voices of millions of Americans.”
inside press briefing on TuesdayChina’s foreign ministry accused the US government of abusing state power.
November:FBI director says TikTok poses national security threat, and is ‘extremely concerned’
“How can the world’s top superpower be so indecisive as to be afraid of a young people’s favorite app like that?” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. The US government “is overstretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress foreign companies. We strongly oppose those wrongdoings.”
China has long blocked numerous foreign social media platforms and messaging apps – such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
A bill to ban TikTok across the country
Monday’s guidance also comes as House Republicans are expected to move forward with a bill on Tuesday that would give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide — as well as other software applications that threaten national security.
The legislation was approved by House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Rep. Proposed by Mike McCall, R-Texas. McCall has been a vocal critic of TikTok, saying the app is being used by the Chinese Communist Party to “manipulate and monitor its users while using the data of Americans for their nefarious activities.”
The American Civil Liberties Union is one of them opposition Bill. in monday Press announcementThe ACLU said such a ban would violate First Amendment rights and noted that the US government “cannot ban a social media platform because the app belongs to a Chinese company.”
In addition to federal bans on TikTok, more than half of US states have issued full or partial bans on state-issued devices.
More:South Dakota Governor Christy Nome has issued an executive order blocking TikTok from state devices.
What’s everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day.
Also on Monday, Canada announced that it is similarly banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices. And last week, the executive branch of the European Union said it had temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by employees for cybersecurity reasons.
Contributed by: Associated Press.
