JAKARTA - The White House on Monday 27 February, gave government agencies 30 days to ensure they don't have apps owned by China, TikTok, on federal devices and systems.
In an effort to keep US data safe, all federal agencies must remove TikTok from cell phones and systems and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company.
This was informed by the Director of Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, to all institutions in the memorandum of guidance seen by Reuters.
The ban, ordered by Congress late last year, follows similar measures from Canada, the EU, Taiwan, and more than half of the US states, which have also banned it.
The ban on devices, although affecting only a small fraction of TikTok users in the US, adds "fuel" to demands on a total ban on video-sharing apps. National security concerns about China have increased in recent weeks after Chinese air balloons flew over the US.
TikTok owned by ByteDance has said the concern was fueled by misinformation and has denied using this app to spy on Americans. This action does not affect more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on personal or corporate devices. TikTok did not immediately comment on the White House memo.
The US Congress last December voted to ban federal employees from using a video application owned by China on government-owned devices and administration Biden for 60 days to issue agency instructions.
The vote is the latest action by US lawmakers to limit Chinese companies amid national security concerns that Beijing could use them to spy on Americans.
Federal Information Security Leader Chris DeRusha said "This guide is part of the government's commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the security and privacy of the American people."
Many government agencies. including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department have banned TikTok from government officials before voting.
TikTok's ban does not apply if there are national security activities, law enforcement, or security research but agency leadership must approve of these activities, Young's memos and "public expectations that apply to all institutions are not permitted."
On Tuesday, February 28, the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on a bill that will give US President Joe Biden the authority to ban TikTok from all devices in the US.
"My draft law gives the government the authority to ban TikTok or other software applications that threaten US national security," said Committee Chairman Mike McCaul. "Anyone who downloads TikTok on its device has given a backdoor to all their personal information to the Chinese Communist Party. This is a spy balloon into their phone."
While the American Human Rights Union said it was against the ban on the Congress on TikTok
The White House memo says within 90 days government agencies will have to complete the use of TikTok by IT vendors through contracts, and within 120 days, these institutions will include a new ban on TikTok in all requests.
On Monday, February 27, Canada also announced a ban on the use of TikTok from its government apparatus, saying it poses a "unacceptable" level of privacy and security risks, adding to tensions between the two countries.
"The Canadian ban was issued without specifying specific security concerns or contacting us with questions," a TikTok spokesperson said.
The two largest European Union policy institutions last week also banned TikTok from their staff phones for cybersecurity reasons.
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