The US has imposed a 30-day window on federal authorities to remove the social network TikTok, owned by a Chinese company, from government devices. after Canada and the European Commission made similar decisions.
The White House Office of Management and Budget called the directive, issued Monday, a “critical step in addressing the risks associated with sensitive government data.”
Some government agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, have already implemented the restriction. The directive now calls for the rest of the federal government’s entities to follow suit within 30 days.
TikTok, the international version of the Chinese app Douyin, is also no longer allowed on White House devices.
“The Biden-Harris administration has invested heavily in defending the nation’s digital infrastructure and limiting foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data,” the federal cybersecurity chief said.
“These guidelines are part of the government’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the safety and privacy of the American people,” said Chris DeRusha.
The new rule was first reported by Reuters, according to the Associated Press news agency.
“These bans are little more than political theater,” says TikTok spokesperson
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.
TikTok spokesperson said Monday that the ban on the social network was “passed without any deliberation in federal provisions in December” and that “unfortunately, this approach has served as a model for other world governments.” “These prohibitions are little more than political theater”said Brooke Oberwetter.
Republicans are expected to move forward in the House of Representatives today on a bill that gives President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide. The legislation, proposed by Rep. Mike McCaul, aims to circumvent the challenges the government would face in court if it proceeded with sanctions against the company.
If passed, Washington could ban not only TikTok, but other applications that threaten national security.
McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has strongly criticized the short social video network, noting that it is being used by the Chinese Communist Party to “manipulate and control users while devouring Americans’ data to be used in malicious activities”.
TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, is very popular in the United States and used by two-thirds of the country’s teens. However, there is a growing concern that Beijing could hijack US users’ data obtained through the app.
The company has already rejected the application ban on federal devices, noting that it is developing data security and privacy plans as part of the Biden administration’s ongoing national security review.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government also announced a ban, starting Monday, on the mobile phone application it provides to government officials, arguing there is “an unacceptable risk” to privacy and security.
“On the mobile device, TikTok’s data collection methods give significant access to the phone’s content,” said Treasury Board chair Mona Fortier, who also added in a statement that the measure was taken “to be preventative.” . .
Canada’s decision came days after a similar decision by the European Commission, which banned TikTok for its staff to “protect” the institution.
Source: DN
