US Government sets TikTok ban enforcement deadline on government-issued devices amid national security concerns

To bolster national security, the White House has given federal agencies 30 days to enforce a TikTok ban on government-issued devices. The announcement comes after concerns were raised about the popular video-sharing app's potential threat to national security.

TikTok has faced scrutiny from the US government for some time now, with concerns that its parent company, ByteDance, could be forced to share user data with the Chinese government. Last year, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would have effectively banned the app in the United States, but that order was blocked by a federal judge.

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White House gives federal agencies 30 days to enforce TikTok ban on government-issued devices

Despite the legal challenges, the US government has continued to express concerns about TikTok's potential threat to national security. In December 2020, the Department of Defense issued a memo directing its employees to delete the app from government-issued devices.

Now, the White House is taking things a step further, giving federal agencies a 30-day deadline to enforce the ban.

The move is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to address cybersecurity concerns in the wake of several high-profile cyberattacks. Last month, a hack of the software company SolarWinds exposed vulnerabilities in numerous federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

The TikTok ban is just one of several steps the White House is taking to improve cybersecurity. Last week, the administration announced a new executive order to strengthen the nation's cybersecurity defenses. The order includes provisions to improve threat sharing between government agencies and private companies and increase the use of multifactor authentication and encryption.

TikTok has denied that it poses a threat to national security. In a statement to Reuters, one of the platform's spokespersons said that the company is "fully committed to protecting our users' privacy and security" and that the app has "never shared user data with the Chinese government, nor censored content at its request."

Despite these assurances, the US government views the app suspiciously. In addition to concerns about data sharing, officials are also worried about the platform's potential use for disinformation campaigns.

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Conclusion

The TikTok ban is likely to be controversial, particularly among younger government employees who may view the app as a harmless distraction. But the White House is prioritizing national security concerns over individual preferences.

According to the government, the existing installations of the app on Government issued devices will be removed, and new attempts at installation will be blocked, thereby ensuring the ban's effectiveness.

The ban on the video hosting service is unlikely to end the government's efforts to improve cybersecurity. With cyberattacks becoming increasingly common, the Biden administration is likely to continue to take steps to protect government agencies and private companies from digital threats.

But for now, federal employees will have to find other ways to pass their time on their government-issued devices. The clock is ticking on the ban, and agencies have just 30 days to ensure that it is enforced.