Acknowledging the risk of the Chinese government’s potential access to government information through the app, the Biden Administration ordered executive branch agencies to ensure the social media app TikTok is removed from all federal devices, NBC reports.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has invested heavily in defending our nation’s digital infrastructure and curbing foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data,” said Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer. “This guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy.”
The order by the White House comes after Congress last week passed legislation in December to ban the app from all federal devices. There are exceptions to the ban for law enforcement and national security purposes, as well as for research purposes. It’s unclear if the ban extends to “official” channels for government information.