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NYC Bans Tiktok on City-Owned Devices Citing Possible Security Threats
New York City has put in place a directive that bans TikTok from all city-owned devices, citing possible security concerns to the city’s technical networks.
According to The Verge, New York City has made a significant move in the continuing discussion around the security of the Chinese social media app TikTok. All local departments must delete the software from city-owned devices over the next 30 days, according to a mandate the city released. The decision comes after a review by the NYC Cyber Command, which found that TikTok posed a security threat to the city’s technical networks.
“NYC Cyber Command regularly explores and advances proactive measures to keep New Yorkers’ data safe,” a New York City Hall spokesperson said in a statement. “While social media is great at connecting New Yorkers with one another and the city, we have to ensure we are always using these platforms in a secure manner.”
The TikTok ban adheres to American regulations. The Office of Management and Budget opposes using the software on official computing platforms. Also, it follows federal law that was passed earlier this year that forbade the use of the program on government-owned smartphones.
For a number of years, people have been debating the security issues with TikTok. Since more than three years ago, Congress has tried to pass legislation outlawing TikTok nationwide on the grounds that the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns the app, may use the information collected to snoop on Americans.
The use of TikTok on equipment owned by the government is restricted in a number of US states. Montana became the first state to enact such a ban when Governor Greg Gianforte signed a measure in May making the app illegal in the whole state. TikTok users and the corporation filed a lawsuit against Montana after the bill was signed into law, claiming that it infringed on the state's people' right to free speech.
By an internal guideline, New York State forbade the usage and download of TikTok in 2020 on equipment used by the government. A small number of public relations organizations in the state were nevertheless permitted to use the app for marketing.
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