IDAHO, USA — Gov. Little issued an executive order Wednesday, Dec. 14 that bans TikTok on all state-issued devices and networks. In a press release, it states that it's to protect Idahoans from "security threats posed by the communist Chinese government."
“The communist Chinese government can use TikTok to collect critical information from our state and federal government, and we are taking this step to protect Idahoans and Americans from the sinister motives of a foreign government that does not share our values and seeks to weaken and manipulate our country,” Little said. “This new ban to eliminate TikTok from state-issued devices and networks will help protect national security and Idahoans’ data.”
The release added that the move comes after the FBI has said that the app could be a national security threat. The app has already been banned on devices issued from the federal government. The FBI said the problem is that the Chinese government can control the apps algorithm, which could allow access to U.S. government operations and be used for espionage.
The executive order will have the Idaho Office of Information Technology Services block the app and bans any state-issued device or website from downloading the app. That means anything that could connect to the internet, including laptops, cell phones and tablets.
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