New York City on Wednesday banned the use of TikTok on government-owned devices over security concerns, joining several US cities and states in placing similar restrictions on the short-form video app.
Owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance and used by more than 150 million Americans, TikTok has faced mounting calls from US lawmakers for a nationwide ban, prompted by concerns about possible Chinese government influence.
TikTok “poses a security threat to the city’s technical networks,” the New York City government, led by Mayor Eric Adams, said in a statement.
New York City agencies have 30 days to remove TikTok, and employees will lose access to the app and website on city-owned devices and networks. New York State has previously banned TikTok on state-provided mobile devices.
TikTok said it “does not and would not share US user data with the Chinese government and has taken substantial steps to protect the privacy and security of TikTok users.”
Many US states and cities have restricted the use of TikTok on government devices. Montana recently passed legislation banning the app statewide, a rule that goes into effect January 1 and has been legally challenged.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday showed nearly half of American adults support a ban on TikTok.
Source: Terra
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