WASHINGTON: New York City has officially banned the use of TikTok on government-owned devices, attributing the decision to security concerns. This move aligns the city with various US states and municipalities that have also restricted the usage of the popular short video sharing application over apprehensions regarding data security and potential Chinese government influence.
TikTok, a platform embraced by more than 150 million Americans, is owned by the Chinese technology conglomerate ByteDance. The app has been under heightened scrutiny by U.S. lawmakers, who have raised alarms about its possible ties to the Chinese government.
In a statement released by the administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, it was conveyed that TikTok posed a perceived threat to the technical networks of the city. The city’s agencies have been mandated to uninstall the application within 30 days, leading to the discontinuation of TikTok access for employees on government-owned devices and networks. Notably, New York State had previously enforced a similar ban on TikTok for state-issued mobile devices.
TikTok Responded to Concerns
TikTok has responded to these concerns, asserting that it has never shared nor intends to share U.S. user data with the Chinese government. The company underscored its commitment to safeguarding the privacy and security of its users through comprehensive protective measures.
Leading U.S. security officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director William Burns, have voiced apprehensions about TikTok’s potential security risks. Director Wray, in particular, raised the prospect of the Chinese government exerting control over software on a massive scale and leveraging the app to perpetuate divisive narratives among Americans. These concerns, he contended, underline significant national security considerations.
In 2020, former President Donald Trump sought to impose a ban on new TikTok downloads, yet the implementation of the ban was impeded by a series of judicial rulings.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey unveiled that nearly half of American adults support a ban on TikTok. This sentiment reflects the growing unease surrounding the application’s potential implications for data privacy and national security.
