New York City has made the decision to prevent the use of TikTok on devices owned by the city, and they are enforcing this by mandating all agencies to uninstall the app within the next 30 days. This action follows a thorough evaluation carried out by the NYC Cyber Command, which identified TikTok as a potential security risk to the city’s technical networks. As of now, city personnel are prohibited from both downloading and utilizing the app, as well as accessing TikTok’s website, on any devices owned by the city.
A spokesperson from New York City Hall emphasized the importance of secure usage of social media platforms, stating that while these platforms facilitate connections among New Yorkers and with the city, security remains a top priority. The NYC Cyber Command consistently explores and implements preemptive measures to safeguard the data of New Yorkers.
The decision is in accordance with the US Office of Management and Budget’s recommendations discouraging the use of TikTok on government devices. Additionally, recent federal legislation passed earlier in the year also prohibits the use of the app.
For over three years, Congress has been attempting to enact nationwide legislation to ban TikTok due to concerns that the app, along with its parent company ByteDance based in China, could potentially exploit the data it collects to conduct surveillance on American citizens.
Numerous states within the US have previously prohibited TikTok on government-owned devices, and some governors have aimed for even stricter measures. For instance, in May, Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana signed a bill that effectively banned TikTok across the entire state, marking the first state to do so. However, following the implementation of this law, both TikTok users and the company itself filed lawsuits against the state, arguing that the legislation impinged upon the free speech rights of Montana residents.
In a similar vein, New York state had already restricted TikTok’s use on state-issued devices in 2020 through an internal policy that prohibited its download and usage on government-owned devices. This policy did allow a limited number of New York public relations platforms to use the app for promotional purposes.