* AP…
The White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns.
The Office of Management and Budget calls the guidance, issued Monday, a “critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data.” Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, already have restrictions in place; the guidance calls on the rest of the federal government to follow suit within 30 days. […]
Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act” in December as part of a sweeping government funding package. The legislation does allow for TikTok use in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.
TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said Monday: “The ban of TikTok on federal devices passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately that approach has served as a blueprint for other world governments. These bans are little more than political theater.”
Canada and the European Union have also issued bans, as has India.
* CBS News…
The directive from the Biden administration comes after the popular video app was banned by Congress on federal government devices in December, amid growing national security concerns that TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance could give access to user data to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
National security experts also fear that the CCP could use the app to spread misinformation and disinformation or manipulate the algorithm to control what users in the U.S. see. […]
Earlier this month, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the Chinese government requires companies doing business there to turn over the keys to their data. […]
China blasted the ban on Tuesday. “We firmly oppose the wrong practice of the United States to generalize the concept of national security, abuse state power, and unreasonably suppress firms from other countries,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing, according to Agence France-Presse.
* I checked in with the governor’s office and was told that state devices here are not allowed to download any apps which aren’t on an approved list. TikTok, I’m told, is not on that list.
Even so, three identical Illinois House bills have been introduced to ban TikTok on state government devices. The three chief sponsors include two members of the Eastern Bloc, Reps. Chris Miller (R-No Relation) and Rep. Blaine Wilhour, and freshman GOP Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro….
Amends the Department of Innovation and Technology Act. Provides that the Department shall prohibit the use of TikTok on State devices by any State personnel or other person.
…Adding… From DoIT…
In Illinois, we have a policy that prevents apps and platforms that pose cybersecurity risks, without the need to explicitly call out every such possibility. This gives us the ability to move quickly in an ever-evolving cyber atmosphere. We additionally have software that prevents any downloading of such prohibited applications.
Here are the specific elements of the policy that prohibit the downloading or use of TikTok and other such applications.
· 4.3.1.18 Installing software that has not been authorized in writing by the requestor’s manager and an appropriate service request submitted to designated IT staff or Help Desk for processing.
· 4.3.1.20 Using IT Resources to play or download games, music or videos that are not in support of business functions.
* From the Guardian…
Should we be more worried about TikTok than other apps?
It depends on whom you ask. Several digital privacy and civil advocacy groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Fight for the Future say while the potential for China to exploit access to TikTok is indeed concerning, other apps and services offer government entities, including in the US, similar access to user data.
“Unless we’re also [going to] ban Twitter and Facebook and YouTube and Uber and Grubhub, this is pointless,” said the Fight for the Future director, Evan Greer. “Yes, it’s possibly a bit easier for the Chinese government to gain access to data through TikTok than other apps, but there’s just so many ways governments can get data from apps.” […]
Like other privacy advocates, Diebold said that “policymakers should pursue more promising solutions that address the underlying risks.
“For example, to address data concerns, lawmakers should prioritize passing federal privacy legislation to protect consumer data that would explicitly require companies to disclose who they share data with and hold them accountable for those statements,” Diebold said.
Your thoughts?
* More background…