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(Trends Wide) — More than half of all US states have partially or fully banned TikTok on government devices, according to a Trends Wide analysis, reflecting a wave of recent clampdowns by governors and state agencies against the video app. short form.
The accelerated reaction of the states against TikTok, which has at least 100 million users in the United States, extends to the states governed by Republicans and Democrats, and covers all regions of the country.
Many of the states have singled out TikTok in particular for executive orders where governors have banned the social media platform from government networks and devices. But some have gone further, adding other apps with links to China to their ban lists, including WeChat and AliPay.
A handful of states are considering legislation to restrict TikTok, mirroring similar efforts at the federal level by US lawmakers.
The moves come amid renewed security concerns about the data of American TikTok users and fears that it could find its way to the Chinese government. Nearly two dozen states announced restrictions late last year amid reports that a negotiation between TikTok and the US government had stalled over whether the company could continue to offer its services in the country.
A possible national security agreement is still being reviewed, TikTok said, adding that it believes a mutual agreement with federal officials is the best way to resolve security concerns.
“We are disappointed that so many states are jumping on the bandwagon to enact policies based on unfounded and politically charged falsehoods about TikTok,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement provided to Trends Wide last month about the state actions.
“It is unfortunate,” the spokesperson said, “that the many state agencies, bureaus and universities on TikTok in those states will no longer be able to use it to build communities and connect with constituents.”
MMore than half of the states in the US have banned TikTok on government devices —
So far, 31 states have taken action to restrict TikTok on state-owned devices, with nine of those states also banning additional apps. At least four states have proposed similar bans.
The University of Texas blocks TikTok
The University of Texas at Austin blocked TikTok from its computer network Wednesday under an earlier order by Gov. Greg Abbott that prohibited the application of short-form video from state-run electronic resources.
The move makes it impossible for TikTok users to access the app, even on personal devices, if they connect via the school’s wired or wireless networks, the university wrote in a message posted on its website.
“The University is taking these important steps to eliminate risks to information contained on the University’s network and to our critical infrastructure,” the message said, citing Abbot’s state directive, which highlighted fears that data from American TikTok users could fall into the hands of the Chinese government.
The university had already begun to remove TikTok from cell phones, tablets and other official devices as part of compliance with the directive, the message continued.
The university is not the first to restrict TikTok from its network. The University of Oklahoma and Auburn University in Alabama have moved to clamp down on TikTok in response to orders from governors in their respective states.
Kentucky joins the ban
The state of Kentucky has banned TikTok on state government-run devices, a spokesperson for Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed to Trends Wide on Monday.
The restrictions were outlined in an update to the employee handbook.
“The new changes have been under consideration for several weeks and the change was made based on recent federal legislation as well as information from federal law enforcement,” said Steeley Shacklette, spokesperson for the state government. “This guidance only applies to state government devices and accounts, and does not apply to personal use on personal devices.”
Kentucky is one of more than 30 states that have restricted or proposed restrictions on the use of the TikTok app on state-managed devices.
