TikTok could be forbidden on Government devices in US, under proposed spending bill

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On Tuesday morning, US lawmakers proposed a measure to prevent federal government employees from using the Chinese app TikTok on government-owned devices, as part of a key spending bill.

Last week, the Senate voted on a bill sponsored by Republican Senator Josh Hawley that aims to prohibit federal employees from using the ByteDance-owned short video app, TikTok, on government-owned devices. This move is part of a wider effort by US lawmakers to address national security concerns related to Chinese companies.

A ban on TikTok is included in a large omnibus measure to fund US government operations that is expected to be voted on this week. The bill directs the White House Office of Management and Budget to establish standards and guidelines within 60 days for executive agencies to remove TikTok from federal devices.

TikTok has stated that the concerns surrounding the app are largely based on false information. The proposed legislation would not affect the over 100 million Americans who use TikTok on private or company-owned devices. Several federal agencies, including the White House, the Defense Department, the Homeland Security Department, and the State Department, already prohibit the use of TikTok on government-owned devices. Additionally, on Monday, state agencies in Louisiana and West Virginia joined the list of those banning TikTok on government devices due to concerns that China may use the app to track Americans and censor content.