Citing security concerns, North Carolina became the latest state to ban the use of TikTok on state phones and devices.
In an executive order signed by Governor Roy Cooper, the use of TikTok and WeChat will be prohibited on all state devices; adding the state, along with Wisconsin, to the growing list of 22 other states that have blocked the social media apps.
“It’s important for us to protect state information technology from foreign countries that have actively participated in cyberattacks against the United States,” stated Governor Cooper. “Protecting North Carolina from cyber threats is vital to ensuring the safety, security, privacy, and success of our state and its people.”
According to WFAE, Congress passed a spending package last month that included the banning of TikTok from government devices.
Prompted by U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray’s warning that the app, which is owned by China’s ByteDance company, poses national security risks, lawmakers, and cybersecurity experts have expressed concern about security issues.
As reported by the Associated Press, TikTok has been in the spotlight for critics who state the Chinese government could access user data, such as browsing history and location.
The House of Representatives, U.S. armed forces, and other federal entities have also prohibited the app on their devices.
Recently, public universities have restricted TikTok on school computers, mobile phones and Wi-Fi, in accordance with state executive orders that have banned the app on state devices.
