Gov. Abbott orders state agencies to ban TikTok app use on any government-issued device
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered Wednesday the ban of the TikTok app on any government-issued devices citing the growing threat of the Chinese Communist Party gaining access to critical U.S. information and infrastructure.
“TikTok harvests vast amounts of data from its users’ devices—including when, where, and how they conduct Internet activity—and offers this trove of potentially sensitive information to the Chinese government,” said Abbott in letters to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan and other state agency leaders.
The TikTok ban applies to cell phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers and other devices capable of internet connectivity.
Abbott also ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Information Resources to develop a model plan for other state agencies to address vulnerabilities posed by using TikTok on personal devices by Jan. 15, 2023.
Each state agency will have to implement its own policy governing the use of TikTok on personal devices by Feb. 15, 2023.
Today, I ordered all Texas state agencies to ban TikTok on government-issued devices as the Chinese Communist Party poses a growing threat to U.S. cybersecurity.
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) December 7, 2022
The State of Texas will continue working to preserve the safety and security of all Texans. https://t.co/ZXP9atgu7N pic.twitter.com/5N3OYFBBnp
