Senators Propose Barring TikTok from Government Devices – By Mariam Baksh (Nextgov) / March 13 2020
Major government departments have already banned employees from downloading the popular app.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has introduced legislation that would prohibit any federal employee from using or downloading the video application TikTok on devices issued by the U.S. government.
TikTok, the most downloaded app of 2019, is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. Proponents of the ban argue the Chinese government could be using the app to amass data for its potentially malicious artificial intelligence operation.
The legislation, S.3455, was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Thursday. It “is a necessary step to protect the security of the United States and the data security of all Americans,” Hawley said last week previewing the legislation during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on crime and terrorism, which he chairs.
A number of government agencies have already banned the app. A provision banning workers of the Transportation Security Agency from using TikTok on government-issued devices passed the House last week.
Continue to article: https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2020/03/senators-propose-barring-tiktok-government-devices/163771/
