The White House on Monday gave federal agencies a 30-day deadline to delete the Chinese social media app TikTok from all government devices.
According to a guidance memorandum released by Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, and seen by Reuters, agencies must also prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company.
National Security Concerns
The latest directive comes amid growing concerns that TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance could gain access to personal user data and provide it to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Update: Chinese Foreign Ministry: We oppose the White House's decision to ban the "Tik Tok" application from federal agencies, and we consider it an abuse of state power to suppress foreign companies.
— Alex kennedy (@Alexkennedy30) February 28, 2023
Moreover, national security experts fear that the CCP could use the app as a tool to spread misinformation or manipulate its algorithm to control the feed of users in the US.
Earlier this month, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco voiced concern over Beijing stipulating that companies doing business in the country must allow the government access to their data.
“The data obtained today could be used in new and frightening ways tomorrow,” she said. “I don’t use TikTok and I would not advise anybody to do so,” Monaco added.
My statement announcing a ban on the use of TikTok on Government of Canada mobile devices. pic.twitter.com/X8Zfuyz5p4
— Mona Fortier 🇨🇦 (@MonaFortier) February 27, 2023
Other Similar Moves
The latest ban came after the US Congress ordered a similar ban in December. It also follows similar actions taken by the governments of Canada, the EU, Taiwan, and more than half of the states in the US.
The latest round of tensions between the two superpowers has occurred after a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted in US airspace last month. The US military shot down the high-altitude balloon, which China called an “overreaction.”