NYC Prohibits TikTok on Government-Owned Devices
New York City banned TikTok on government-owned devices on Wednesday, citing security concerns, joining several U.S. cities and states that have imposed such restrictions on the short video-sharing app.
TikTok, which is used by more than 150 million Americans and is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has faced increasing demands from US lawmakers for a nationwide ban over concerns about potential influence from the Chinese government.
TikTok “posed a security threat to the city’s technical networks,” New York Mayor Eric Adams’ administration said in a statement.
New York City agencies must remove the app within 30 days, and employees will lose access to the app and its website on city-owned devices and networks. New York state had already banned TikTok on state-issued mobile devices.
TikTok said it “has not shared, and does not intend to share, US user information with the Chinese government, and has taken significant measures to protect the privacy and security of TikTok users.”
Top US security officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director William Burns, have said TikTok is a threat. Wray said in March that the Chinese government could use TikTok to control the software on millions of devices and push narratives to divide Americans, adding to the app’s “cries” about national security.
In 2020, former president Donald Trump tried to block new TikTok downloads, but several court decisions prevented the ban from taking effect.
Many US states and cities have restricted the use of TikTok on government devices. Montana recently passed a law banning the app statewide. The rule goes into effect on January 1 and has been legally challenged.
Nearly half of American adults support banning TikTok, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos survey released Wednesday.
