Agencies ordered to remove TikTok from devices in 30 days
The White House is giving federal agencies 30 days to remove TikTok from all government-issued devices.
Monday’s move comes as the popular Chinese-owned social media app faces increased scrutiny in Washington and in states across the country over security concerns – with critics claiming that the Chinese government could use TikTok to gain access to private user data or spread misinformation.
TikTok already is not allowed on White House devices. Other federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, have similar restrictions in place.
Now, remaining federal agencies will follow. According to the guidance memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget, all executive agencies and their contractors must remove TikTok or any app from its parent company, ByteDance, within 30 days of Monday’s notice – with exceptions for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.
“The Biden-Harris administration has invested heavily in defending our nation’s digital infrastructure and curbing foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data,” said Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer. “This guidance is part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy.”
The guidance fulfills requirements of the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, which was passed by Congress in December.
Reuters first reported on the guidance.
TikTok, China respond
After the White House’s move, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter called such bans of the social media app “little more than political theater.”
“The ban of TikTok on federal devices passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately that approach has served as a blueprint for other world governments,” Oberwetter said in a statement sent to USA TODAY. “We hope that when it comes to addressing national security concerns about TikTok beyond government devices, Congress will explore solutions that won’t have the effect of censoring the voices of millions of Americans.”
In a news briefing Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. government of abusing state power.
“How unsure of itself can the world’s top superpower be to fear a young people’s favorite app like that?” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. The U.S. government “has been over-stretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress foreign companies. We firmly oppose those wrong actions.”
China has long blocked numerous foreign social media platforms and messaging apps – such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Bill to ban TikTok nationwide
Monday’s guidance arrives as House Republicans were expected to move forward Tuesday with a bill that would give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide – as well as other software applications that threaten national security.
The legislation is proposed by the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Rep. Mike McCaul, RTexas. He has been a vocal critic of TikTok, saying the app is being used by the Chinese Communist Party to “manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans’ data to be used for their malign activities.”
The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the bill. On Monday, the ACLU said such a ban would violate First Amendment rights and noted the U.S. government “can’t ban a social media platform simply because the app is from a Chinese company.”
In addition to the federal restrictions on TikTok, more than half of U.S. states have issued full or partial bans for stateissued devices.
Also on Monday, Canada announced that it is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices. And last week, the European Union’s executive branch said it has temporarily banned TikTok from employee-used phones for cybersecurity reasons.