Greater than half of US states have cracked down on TikTok entry from authorities units

Greater than half of all US states have partially or absolutely banned TikTok from authorities units, in line with a CNN evaluation, reflecting a wave of current clampdowns by governors and state businesses concentrating on the short-form video app.

The accelerating backlash by states towards TikTok, which has at the very least 100 million customers in the USA, extends to states ruled by Republicans and Democrats, and spans all areas of the nation.

Most of the states have singled out TikTok for government motion, with governors prohibiting the social media platform from authorities networks and units. However some have gone additional — including different apps with hyperlinks to China to their ban lists, together with WeChat and AliPay.

A handful of states are mulling laws to limit TikTok, mirroring related efforts on the federal stage by US lawmakers.

The strikes come amid renewed safety considerations about TikTok’s US consumer information and fears that it might discover its solution to the Chinese language authorities. Practically two dozen states introduced restrictions late final 12 months amid experiences {that a} negotiation between TikTok and the US authorities had stalled over whether or not the corporate might proceed providing its companies in the USA.

A possible nationwide safety deal continues to be below evaluation, TikTok has stated, including that it believes a mutual settlement with federal officers is one of the best ways to resolve the safety considerations.

“We’re dissatisfied that so many states are leaping on the bandwagon to enact insurance policies based mostly on unfounded, politically charged falsehoods about TikTok,” a spokesperson for TikTok stated in a press release supplied to CNN final month on the state actions.

“It’s unlucky,” the spokesperson stated, “that the numerous state businesses, places of work, and universities on TikTok in these states will now not have the ability to use it to construct communities and join with constituents.”