Gov. Greg Abbott banned TikTok from state-owned devices .
There is finally a non biased measures across the country to stop impact of an app that is hurting national security as it raises deep questions about its impact on young users.
South Dakota, Maryland, South Carolina and Nebraska are among states that have prohibited the app on government devices. Indiana, meanwhile, has sued TikTok not only over its data exploitation but because it exposes children to sexual content. The U.S. military blocked access in 2020 and advised all military personnel to delete the app from their smartphones.
“The threat of the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate the United States continues to grow on multiple fronts,” Abbott wrote to the heads of state agencies. “While the federal government holds the ultimate responsibility for foreign policy issues, the state also has the responsibility and opportunity to protect itself.”
Abbott also wrote to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, urging them to pass legislation to “safeguard our state against threats like TikTok,” including by codifying his directive to state agencies and making similar regulations for local governments.
The governor demanded state agencies to “strictly” enforce the ban on their officers and employees from downloading or using TikTok on any government-issued cellphones, laptops, tablets and other devices capable of Internet connectivity. He stated they may grant exceptions for law-enforcement investigations and other legitimate uses.
Abbott also ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Information Resources to develop a model plan for state agencies to address vulnerabilities from the use of TikTok on personal devices by Jan. 15, and for agencies to implement their own policies by Feb. 15.
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