Gov. Mike Dunleavy prohibited the use the social media app TikTok Friday on state-owned devices.
Dunleavy sent a memo to state commissioners, executive staff and cited national security concerns over the app, which is owned Chinese tech company ByteDance. The FBI warned Congress last month that TikTok could be used by the Chinese government to control American users’ devices and collect their data.
Jeff Turner, Dunleavy’s spokesperson, wrote in an email that the state was unaware of any security breaches by TikTok at the moment. He stated that the ban was issued by the governor as a preventive measure.
According to the press release all state entities are prohibited from downloading and using the TikTok App on state-owned devices, or visiting the TikTok site on the state network. The announcement by the governor did not include any specific enforcement measures to keep TikTok from government devices. Turner stated that the state’s Information Technology Office regularly monitors network activity to ensure security and enforces such policies.
Last month, President Joe Biden approved an similar ban for TikTok federal devices. Dunleavy joins more Republican governors that have also passed TikTok bannings within their state governments.
The app was banned in the U.S. by former President Donald Trump , but this attempt was stopped in court two years back. To revive the nationwide ban, Republican legislators introduced a bill in November.
