New York City has become the latest US city to impose a ban on the use of social media app TikTok on government-owned devices, with officials expressing concerns over the apps security implications. The move follows in the footsteps of several American cities and states that have taken similar steps to restrict the short video sharing platform due to apprehensions regarding its potential ties to the Chinese government.TikTok, boasting a user base of over 150 million Americans and being owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has been at the centre of mounting calls from U.S. lawmakers for a nationwide prohibition, citing concerns about possible Chinese government influence on the apps operations.🇺🇲 New York City is banning city-owned devices from having TikTok.— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) August 16, 2023Highlighting the motivation behind the decision, the administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated, “TikTok posed a security threat to the citys technical networks.”In response to the ban, New York City agencies are obligated to remove TikTok from government devices within the next 30 days. Subsequently, employees will no longer have access to the app or its website on city-owned devices and networks. Its worth noting that New York State had already implemented a ban on TikTok for state-issued mobile devices.TikTok, on its part, has vehemently asserted its commitment to safeguarding user data and privacy. The company stated that it “has not shared, and would not share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government, and has taken substantial measures to protect the privacy and security of TikTok users.”TikTok screams of national security concerns: FBI DirectorMeanwhile, top US security officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director William Burns, have previously expressed concerns about TikTok. Wray suggested that the Chinese government might potentially exploit TikTok to manipulate software on millions of devices and propagate divisive narratives, thereby screaming significant national security concerns.Former President Donald Trump had attempted to enforce a ban on new TikTok downloads back in 2020. However, this move was met with legal obstacles and court decisions that prevented the ban from being enacted.This trend of restricting TikTok access is not unique to New York City. Numerous U.S. states and cities have similarly limited the use of the app on government-owned devices. Recently, Montana passed a bill banning TikTok across the state, a regulation set to take effect on January 1. However, this measure is currently being contested through legal channels.A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey has revealed that nearly half of American adults support a nationwide ban on TikTok, underscoring the widespread concerns regarding the apps potential security risks and implications.
