30.1 C
Delhi
Monday, November 4, 2024

White House orders to remove Chinese-owned TikTok from federal devices

To keep US data safe, all federal agencies must remove TikTok from phones and networks and block the company’s access, Director of Management and Budget Shalanda Young told the agency in a guidance memorandum seen by Reuters.

The ban, ordered by Congress late last year, follows similar actions by Canada, the EU, Taiwan and more than half of the United States.

The device’s ban — which only affects a small portion of TikTok’s US user base — has led to calls for an outright ban on the video-sharing app. National security concerns about China have increased in recent weeks after a Chinese balloon flew over the United States.

TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, said the concern was misinformation and denied using the app to spy on Americans. The measure does not affect the more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on personal or company-owned devices. TikTok did not immediately comment on the White House memo.

Congress voted in December to ban federal employees from using Chinese-owned video software on government equipment and gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue an agency order. The vote is the latest move by US lawmakers to crack down on Chinese companies amid national security fears that Beijing could be used to spy on Americans.

“This guidance is part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the security and privacy of the American public,” said Federal Information Security Administration chief Chris DeRusha.

Several government agencies, including the White House, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, banned government access to TikTok before the vote.

The TikTok ban does not apply if there is a national security, law enforcement or security investigation, but agency leaders must approve the action, Young said in the memo, “prohibiting blanket exemptions that apply to entire agencies.”

On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on a bill that would give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok from all US devices.

“The bill authorizes the administration to ban TikTok or any software that threatens the national security of the United States,” said committee chairman Mike McCaul. “Anyone who downloads the TikTok tool has given (the Chinese Communist Party) an open door to all their personal information. It’s a balloon inside your phone.”

The American Civil Liberties Union said Congress opposes the ban on TikTok.

The White House memo states that the agency will have 90 days to resolve the use of TikTok by IT vendors through contracts, and that new restrictions on TikTok will be imposed by the agency within 120 days.

Canada on Monday banned TikTok from government-issued devices, saying it posed an “unacceptable” risk to privacy and security, sparking a spat between the two countries.

A TikTok spokesperson said the Canadian ban was lifted “without citing safety concerns or questions.”

Last week, two European Union policy-making bodies banned TikTok from employees’ phones due to cybersecurity concerns.

The White House on Monday gave government agencies 30 days to ensure that the Chinese-owned TikTok app is free from federal devices and systems.

To keep US data safe, all federal agencies must remove TikTok from phones and networks and block the company’s access, Director of Management and Budget Shalanda Young told the agency in a guidance memorandum seen by Reuters.

The ban, ordered by Congress late last year, follows similar actions by Canada, the EU, Taiwan and more than half of the United States.

The device’s ban — which only affects a small portion of TikTok’s US user base — has led to calls for an outright ban on the video-sharing app. National security concerns about China have increased in recent weeks after a Chinese balloon flew over the United States.

TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, said the concern was misinformation and denied using the app to spy on Americans. The measure does not affect the more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on personal or company-owned devices. TikTok did not immediately comment on the White House memo.

Congress voted in December to ban federal employees from using Chinese-owned video software on government equipment and gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue an agency order. The vote is the latest move by US lawmakers to crack down on Chinese companies amid national security fears that Beijing could be used to spy on Americans.

“This guidance is part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the security and privacy of the American public,” said Federal Information Security Administration chief Chris DeRusha.

Several government agencies, including the White House, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, banned government access to TikTok before the vote.

The TikTok ban does not apply if there is a national security, law enforcement or security investigation, but agency leaders must approve the action, Young said in the memo, “prohibiting blanket exemptions that apply to entire agencies.”

On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on a bill that would give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok from all US devices.

“The bill authorizes the administration to ban TikTok or any software that threatens the national security of the United States,” said committee chairman Mike McCaul. “Anyone who downloads the TikTok tool has given (the Chinese Communist Party) an open door to all their personal information. It’s a balloon inside your phone.”

The American Civil Liberties Union said Congress opposes the ban on TikTok.

The White House memo states that the agency will have 90 days to resolve the use of TikTok by IT vendors through contracts, and that new restrictions on TikTok will be imposed by the agency within 120 days.

Canada on Monday banned TikTok from government-issued devices, saying it posed an “unacceptable” risk to privacy and security, sparking a spat between the two countries.

A TikTok spokesperson said the Canadian ban was lifted “without citing safety concerns or questions.”

Last week, two European Union policy-making bodies banned TikTok from employees’ phones due to cybersecurity concerns.

Most Popular Articles