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New York City has taken a significant step by prohibiting the use of TikTok on government-owned devices, attributing this decision to heightened security concerns. This move aligns with a growing trend among several U.S. cities and states that have already imposed similar restrictions on the popular short video-sharing app.
TikTok, owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, boasts a user base of over 150 million Americans. However, the platform has increasingly come under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers, who have expressed apprehensions about potential Chinese government influence. Calls for a nationwide ban on TikTok have gained momentum due to these concerns.
The administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams released a statement asserting that TikTok posed a significant security threat to the city’s technical networks. This stance has prompted city agencies to take immediate action by mandating the removal of the TikTok app from government devices within the next 30 days. As a result, employees will lose access to both the app and its website on devices and networks owned by the city. It’s worth noting that New York State had previously banned TikTok on mobile devices issued by the state.
See also: Montana Shakes Up the Nation as It Becomes the First State to Ban TikTok
TikTok has responded to these allegations by stating that it has neither shared nor intends to share U.S. user data with the Chinese government. The company emphasizes that it has undertaken substantial measures to safeguard the privacy and security of its users.
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Key figures in U.S. security, including FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director William Burns, have raised concerns about TikTok’s potential threats. Wray’s remarks in March suggested that China’s government could potentially exploit TikTok to gain control over software on millions of devices and manipulate narratives to sow division among Americans. He went as far as to describe the app as resonating with national security concerns.
The contentious nature of TikTok’s operations was evident when former President Donald Trump attempted to impose a ban on new TikTok downloads in 2020. However, a series of legal challenges prevented the ban from being implemented.
The movement to restrict TikTok from government devices is not limited to New York City. Numerous U.S. states and cities have already implemented similar measures. Montana, for instance, recently passed legislation that would ban the use of the app across the entire state, with the rule set to take effect on January 1. This legislation, however, is currently facing legal challenges.
A recent survey conducted by Reuters/Ipsos shed light on public sentiment regarding TikTok. The survey revealed that nearly half of American adults support a ban on the app. This indicates a significant level of concern among the general populace regarding the potential risks associated with the platform.
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