New York City Mayor Eric Adams‘ administration on Wednesday banned TikTok’s app and website from all government-issued cell phones, computers and other internet-capable gadgets.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration on Wednesday banned TikTok from all government devices, and ordered all city employees to delete the app from their work phones within 30 days out of fear of Chinese espionage.
The NYC Cyber Command found that the short-form video-sharing site poses “a security threat to the city’s technical networks,” resulting in a directive outlaw of TikTok app and website on government-issued cell phones, computers and other internet-capable gadgets.
“While social media is great at connecting New Yorkers with one another and the city, we have to ensure we are always using these platforms in a secure manner,” a City Hall spokesperson told NBC.
“NYC Cyber Command regularly explores and advances proactive measures to keep New Yorkers’ data safe.”
The ban was months in the making, with rumors that it would be a state-wide bar after national security experts warned that data posted on the platform could end up in the hands of the Communist Party as TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a China-based tech company that allegedly “maintains supreme access” to all data held by the TikTok parent.
