Tiktok Ban On Federal Devices Given 30 Days By White House

The Chinese-owned app TikTok must not be present on any federally-owned hardware or software, according to a directive from the White House issued on Monday.

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In a guidance document obtained by Reuters, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young informed agencies that they would need to modify their IT agreements in order to ensure that vendors protect U.S. data by not using TikTok on their systems and devices.

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According to TikTok, the worries are stoked by false information. The over 100 million Americans who use TikTok on personal or business-owned devices are unaffected by the action.

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The Biden administration has 60 days to release agency directions after Congress voted in December to prohibit federal employees from accessing the Chinese-owned video app on devices that belong to the government. The vote marked the most recent move by US legislators to take action against Chinese firms because of concerns about Beijing using them to spy on Americans.

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"This guidance is part of the Administration's continuous commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and defending the security and privacy of the American people," Federal Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeRusha stated.

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Before the vote, TikTok was prohibited on government-owned devices by a number of federal organizations, including the White House, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department.

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While national security, law enforcement, or security research activities are exempt from the TikTok ban, agency leadership must still approve these activities, according to Young's memo.

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According to the message, agencies have 90 days to remedy any TikTok usage by IT providers through contracts, and 120 days to include a fresh TikTok ban in all future bids. The equipment utilized in government projects is included by the federal contractor ban, however it "does not include any equipment obtained by a federal contractor ancillary to a federal contract."