It will also be one of the most used social networks globally (perhaps even more than Instagram, which seems to have lost its appeal), but TikTok it just fails to convince US government agencies. The platform is considered indeed a security threat and banned its use on all city government employee devices New York.
TikTok is a threat: the decision of the mayor of the Big Apple
The state of New York banned its use on government devices as early as 2020 (in addition to the other 30), the decision of Eric Adams, mayor of New York, arrived only in these hours. The motivation is the most easily conceivable: the Chinese-owned social network poses a serious threat to cybersecurity.
Given the new directive, administration employees can no longer download TikTok on devices provided by the city (smartphones, computers, tablets) and cannot even try to get around the obstacle by using the web version of the platform that is very popular all over the world.
Reached by The Verge, a New York City Hall spokesman said the “NYC Cyber Command regularly explores and promotes proactive measures to protect New Yorkers’ data“. He also added that while social networks have positive sides (the ability to stay in touch with people even when you’re at a distance), “you should always ensure that these platforms are used safely“.
The TikTok ban is hardly surprising, as US officials have often expressed their fears about the unauthorized collection of US citizen data. These – it is said – would then be shared with the parent company and the Chinese government. In this regard, nothing has been officially confirmed, indeed over the years timid denials have also arrived, but for the over 30 states of the USA they were not enough.