Devices managed by the U.S. House of Representatives can’t use the video app
TikTok is one of the most popular platforms within the realms of social media. With over one billion active users in 154 countries, chances are you or people you know are using the video app. For staffers of the U.S. House of Representatives, using the popular video app on their House-devices is a thing of the past.
Security
According to a notice provided to CNN by the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, TikTok is being identified as a “high risk to users due to a number of security risks.” Any user who would want to install the app on a device managed by the House, will be asked to remove the software. Apparently, TikTok has been dealing with more concerns about security because of its Chinese parent company ByteDance. Some U.S. officials fear that data collected by the app can be shared with the Chinese government. FBI Director Christopher Wray said in November that they have national security concerns because of TikTok. According to CBS News, Wray said that those concerns include “…the possibility that the Chinese government could use it to control data collection on millions of users.”
Complete ban
The House is not the first to ban the social media app. In December, the Senate already banned all federal employees from using the app or downloading it on their government devices. States like Texas, Maryland, Georgia, South Dakota, South Carolina and Nebraska have also banned TikTok for government officials. Former president Trump and his administration wanted to ban the app completely. President Biden reversed these measures, ordering a review of the security risks of foreign-owned apps.
Overstated
According to CNN, TikTok doesn’t have high hopes for the bans. They call them “a political gesture that will do nothing to advance national security interests.” Michael Beckerman, the head of public policy for TikTok in the Americas, says in an article by CBS News that TikTok does not collect as much data as other social media apps do. They are also working on moving the data to the U.S. to make sure that the data is not stored in China anymore.
Also read: This well-known TikTokker has a golden tip for removing your lenses super fast
Source: CNN, CBS News, Demandsage | Image: Unsplash, Solen Feyissa