The US House Prohibits TikTok From All Its Controlled Devices

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According to the administrative branch of the US House of Representatives, the popular Chinese video app TikTok has been removed from all devices under its control. This mimics a regulation that will shortly take effect that will remove the app from US government devices.

The software must be removed from all devices controlled by the House as it is deemed "high risk due to a variety of security vulnerabilities," according to a note the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the House delivered to all members and staff on Tuesday.

The new regulation comes after many attempts by US state governments to prohibit TikTok, which is run by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., from being used on official equipment. Because of worries that the Chinese government would use the app to follow Americans and restrict material, 19 states have at least partially barred the app from state-managed smartphones as of last week.

The software will no longer be accessible on federally controlled devices as of the date President Joseph R. Biden signs the $1.66 trillion omnibus spending package into law, which will finance the US government through September 30, 2023.

"The CAO worked with the Committee on House Administration to create a similar regulation for the House," a representative for the CAO told Reuters on Tuesday. "With the passing of the Omnibus that outlawed TikTok on executive branch devices."

The employees were informed that future downloads of TikTok were forbidden and that anyone found to have the app installed on their smartphone would be contacted to have it removed.

An inquiry for comments regarding the new rule was not immediately answered by TikTok.

A proposal from US politicians to outlaw the app nationally has been made.

Reuters