New York City bans TikTok on govt devices after security concerns
Mangalore Today News Network
New York, Aug 17, 2023: TikTok remains banned in India due to security concerns. Interestingly, it seems that several American state governments are also taking heed of these worries. In May, the western US state of Montana declared a comprehensive ban on the app starting next year. Montana asserted that TikTok poses security challenges due to its parent company, ByteDance’s connections to China. Now, New York City is imposing a similar restriction, but mainly for government employees. Non-government employees and other individuals can continue using the short video app.
According to a directive by the city authorities and reported by The Verge, city officials are required to remove the app from their devices within the next 30 days. The directive comes days after NYC Cyber Command found that TikTok "posed a security threat to the city’s technical networks." A New York City Hall spokesperson also told the publication that the city has to ensure that officials are using technology in a "secure manner." The NYC official cited the "No TikTok on Government Devices Act" that prohibits the app on federal government devices.
TikTok maintains the company does not share user data with the Chinese government. In March, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew also appeared in front of the US Congress to clarify the allegations. The CEO reiterated that TikTok’s parent firm ByteDance has never been an "agent of China or any other country." He defended TikTok’s privacy practices, asserting that they are aligned with those of other social media platforms. He added that, in numerous instances, the app gathers less data than its counterparts.
The short-video app remains highly popular in the US with over 150 million userbase. The company is also letting creators earn money through collaborations and partnerships on the app. However, a sizeable chunk of Americans believes that the app can pose a threat to privacy. Close to half of American adults support a ban on TikTok, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos survey.
The TikTok ban was initially proposed by the Trump administration in 2020, but a US court blocked the ban citing a lack of demonstrated security risks. The orders were subsequently reversed by President Joe Biden. Additionally, several other states have also enforced a ban on government-owned devices, including Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana.
In India, TikTok remains banned and users have select options. Meta also banked on TikTok’s ban in the country and launched Reels in 2020. Other apps like YouTube, Twitter (now X) and Facebook have also introduced short videos.