The White House has recently ordered government agencies to remove the Chinese-owned app TikTok from federal devices and systems within 30 days to ensure the safety of U.S. data. Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young sent a memorandum to agencies instructing them to eliminate TikTok from phones and systems and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company.
This follows a ban ordered by Congress last year and similar actions taken by Canada, the EU, Taiwan and more than half of U.S. states.
The ban, which affects only a small portion of TikTok’s U.S. user base, has added fuel to calls for an outright ban on the video-sharing app due to national security concerns. The Biden administration has 60 days to issue agency directives, according to a vote by Congress in December. Federal Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeRusha said the guidance was part of the administration’s commitment to securing the country’s digital infrastructure and protecting people’s security and privacy.
Many government agencies had already banned TikTok from government devices, including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department. The TikTok ban, however, does not apply to national security, law enforcement or security research activities, as agency leadership must approve these activities. Blanket exceptions applying to an entire agency are not allowed, according to Young’s memo.
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, said the bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten national security.
“My bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten U.S. national security,” McCaul said.
The American Civil Liberties Union, according to Reuters, has opposed a congressional ban on TikTok.
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. Canada has also announced a ban on TikTok from government-issued devices, citing an “unacceptable” level of risk to privacy and security. The European Union’s two biggest policy-making institutions last week banned TikTok from staff phones for cybersecurity reasons. TikTok has denied using the app to spy on Americans
