The US has set a 30-day period for federal agencies to remove the Chinese-owned social network TikTok from government devices, after Canada and the European Commission made similar decisions.
The White House Office of Management and Budget calls the directive, issued Monday, a “critical step to address the risks posed by the application to sensitive government data.”
Some government agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and State, have already implemented the restriction. The guidance now requires the remaining federal government entities to do the same within 30 days.
TikTok, the international version of the Chinese app Douyin, is no longer allowed on White House devices.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has invested heavily in defending the nation’s digital infrastructure and restricting foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data,” the federal cybersecurity chief said.
“This guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to secure our digital infrastructure and protect the security and privacy of the American people,” said Chris DeRusha.
The new rule was first reported by Reuters, according to the US news agency Associated Press.
The US Congress passed a law in December banning TikTok on government devices except in certain cases, namely for national security, law enforcement, and investigative purposes.
A TikTok spokeswoman said Monday that the social network’s ban “on federal provisions was passed in December without any deliberation” and that “unfortunately, this approach has served as a model for other governments around the world.” “These bans are little more than political theater,” Brooke Oberwetter said.
Republicans are expected to advance in the House of Representatives today with a bill that will give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok across the country. The legislation, proposed by Rep. Mike McCaul, is intended to sidestep challenges the government would face in court if it proceeds with sanctions against the company.
If passed, the law will allow Washington to not only ban TikTok but also other apps that threaten national security.
McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, vehemently criticized the short-video social network, saying the Chinese Communist Party uses it to “manipulate and monitor users while gobbling up Americans’ data for use in evil activities.”
TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, is hugely popular in the United States and is used by two-thirds of the country’s teens. However, there is growing concern that Beijing could hijack American user data obtained through the app.
The company has already dropped the ban on apps on federal devices, noting that it is developing data privacy and security plans as part of the Biden Administration’s ongoing national security review.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government has also announced a ban, effective Monday, on the mobile phone app it provides to public servants, arguing that there is “an unacceptable level of risk” to privacy and security.
“On mobile, TikTok’s data collection methods give considerable access to phone content,” said Treasury Board Chair Mona Fortier, who also added, in a statement, that the move had been taken “in order to prevent”. .
Canada’s decision came days after a similar one by the European Commission, which banned TikTok from its staff, to “protect” the institution.
Source: TSF
