New York City banned access to TikTok on government-owned phones, the latest in a string of US states and municipalities to block the popular video app from public employees’ devices over security concerns.
TikTok must be removed from city-owned electronics within 30 days, a City Hall spokesperson said Wednesday in a statement. The decision follows a review by the NYC Cyber Command, which deemed the app a threat to the city’s technical networks, the spokesperson said.
American officials are concerned that TikTok’s ownership by Beijing-based technology company ByteDance Ltd. may lead to inappropriate data collection by or undue pressure from China. While TikTok says it doesn’t share information with its parent company or the Chinese government, and its new corporate structure in the US is meant to address these concerns, the US and more than 35 states have banned access to the app on government-owned devices.
The state of New York has already prohibited access to TikTok on state-owned phones, unless there is a legitimate reason for conducting governmental business. Montana went a step further, banning the app for its residents statewide beginning next year. A group of TikTok users has challenged the move in court.
The Verge earlier reported New York City’s decision.
--With assistance from Natalie Lung.
