The White House has issued a guidance memorandum giving federal agencies until the end of March 2023 to remove TikTok from all government-issued devices, citing security concerns.
The Chinese-owned social media app has faced increased scrutiny in Washington and states across the country, with critics alleging that the Chinese government could use TikTok to access private user data or spread misinformation. TikTok is already banned on White House devices and similar restrictions are in place for federal agencies such as the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.
The new guidance requires all executive agencies and their contractors to remove TikTok or any app from its parent company, ByteDance, within 30 days, with some exceptions for national security, law enforcement, and research purposes. T
he federal chief information security officer, Chris DeRusha, stated that the guidance is part of the administration’s commitment to securing the nation’s digital infrastructure and protecting Americans’ security and privacy.