New York City has recently joined the list of entities seeking to tighten their digital security by distancing themselves from the popular social media application TikTok. As a follow-up to a similar move made by the New York State in 2020, the city has mandated the complete removal of ByteDance's app from all its issued devices.
The NYC's TikTok Ban
As reported by The Verge, the decision was recently made public, requiring immediate compliance from all government employees. Each one of them is now prohibited from downloading or utilizing the app on their city-issued technology.
This stringent measure comes as a result of the potential security risks posed by ByteDance's app – a concern showed by the NYC Cyber Command, a team that is under the Government's Office of Technology and Innovation and has the primary responsibility of proactively securing the data of New Yorkers.
A representative of City Hall stated that the decision to blacklist TikTok is related to the app's potential threat to the technical networks of the city. However, NYC is not the pioneer in this move.
The TikTok Bans Across US
Currently, 33 states across party lines restrict the use of TikTok on government-owned technology. Several jurisdictions, including Montana, have previously enacted bans on the use of the app. Furthermore, lawmakers on federal levels have also imposed similar restrictions targeting government employees.
And while the discussion about a potential nationwide ban on that and other China-affiliated apps continues, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is striving to dispel allegations of posing a threat to national security.
What TikTok Has To Say
TikTok's CEO, Shou Chew, has even testified before Congress, firmly stating that the company is not a Chinese agent, but it is clear that the situation marks another chapter in the ongoing tension between American entities and Chinese-owned applications.
As entities like NYC continue to prioritize their digital security, it remains to be seen how ByteDance will address these growing concerns about its app integrity and implications for users and their data.
