Ohio and New Jersey join more than 20 other states in banning TikTok on government devices over Chinese surveillance fears
New Jersey and Ohio are the latest states to ban TikTok on government-owned devices. More than 20 states have now banned the video-sharing app on government devices. FBI Director Chris Wray has warned that TikTok could collect users’ information for espionage.
New Jersey and Ohio are the latest US states to ban TikTok on government devices over fears of Chinese surveillance, joining at least 20 others amid growing concerns about its security. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced a cybersecurity order Monday to “prohibit the use of high-risk software and services” on government-owned devices.
This includes the use of TikTok. Meanwhile, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued an executive order the same day. Using any application, platform, or website “owned by an entity located in China” on government-owned devices is prohibited.
New Jersey has outlined a list of software vendors, products and services to be banned, particularly Chinese-owned firms. This includes TikTok parent company ByteDance Ltd, Huawei Technologies, WeChat, and Alibaba products.
The ban also extends to the Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab. In TikTok analytics, the platform collects users’ keystrokes, often takes screen captures, accesses data from phones, and collects other sensitive user information such as passwords.
“Strengthening cybersecurity is critical to protecting the overall safety and welfare of our state,” said New Jersey’s Murphy. “The proactive and preventive actions we are implementing today will ensure the privacy, security, and integrity of information assets maintained by the New Jersey state government.
“This decisive action will unify the state’s cybersecurity against actors who seek to divide it. Us.” Ohio’s executive order explained that China’s 2017 National Intelligence Act would require businesses in the country to “collect private information,” including sharing data with the Chinese Communist Party.
More than 20 states have now banned the video-sharing app from government devices. TikTok could collect user information for spying activities. FBI Director Chris Wray warned. New Jersey and Ohio are the latest US states to ban TikTok on government devices over fears of Chinese surveillance, joining at least 20 others amid growing concerns about its security.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday ordered cyber to “ban the use of high-risk software and services” on government-owned devices. A security order was announced that included the use of TikTok. Meanwhile, Ohio Gov.
Mike DeWine issued an executive order the same day banning any application, platform, or website “owned by an entity located in China” on government-owned devices. Use is prohibited. New Jersey has outlined a list of software vendors, products and services to be banned, particularly Chinese-owned firms.
This includes TikTok parent company ByteDance Ltd, Huawei Technologies, WeChat, and Alibaba products. The ban also extends to the Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab. In TikTok analytics, the platform collects users’ keystrokes, often takes screen captures, accesses data from phones, and collects other sensitive user information such as passwords.
“Strengthening cybersecurity is critical to protecting the overall safety and welfare of our state,” said New Jersey’s Murphy. The Chinese government, Tencent, WeChat, Weibo, and Alibaba Group subsidiary DingTalk are all on Ohio’s list of banned platforms.
“We are disappointed that many states are jumping into the political arena to implement policies that do nothing to improve cyber security. They are based on baseless lies about their states and TikTok,” a TikTok spokesperson said in an s. Disclosure to Insider.
“TikTok is loved by millions of Americans. And it’s unfortunate that many state agencies, universities, offices, student groups, and sports teams in those states can no longer use TikTok to build communities and share information.
