US House of Representatives prohibits using TikTok on its official devices

The popular Chinese video app TikTok has been banned from all devices managed by the US House of Representatives, according to its administrative arm, in line with a soon-to-be-enforced law banning the app on government devices.

The app is considered “high risk due to a number of security issues,” the app said. Administrative Head of the Chamber (CAO) in a message sent to all MPs and staff on Tuesday, and should be removed from all House-managed devices.

The new rule is the latest in a series of measures taken by public administrations in the United States to prohibit TikTokproperty of ByteDance Ltdwhich is based in Beijing.

As of last week, 19 states had at least partially blocked the app on state-run devices for fear the Chinese government could use it to track Americans and censor content.

The $1.66 trillion funding bill, passed last week to fund the US government through September 30, 2023, includes a provision to ban the app on federally managed devices, and will go into effect. into effect once President Joe Biden signs it into law.

“With the approval of the Omnibus law that prohibited TikTok in executive branch arrangements, the CAO worked with the House Administration Committee to implement a similar policy for the House,” a CAO spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.

The message to staff said that anyone with TikTok on her device she would be contacted to remove it, and that future downloads of the app were prohibited.

TikTok He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new rule.

US lawmakers have tabled a proposal to ban the app across the country.

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