TikTok Ban: Texas is Fourth State to Join; Indiana Sues

Four U.S. states have now banned TikTok on government workers’ devices: Maryland, South Carolina, South Dakota and now Texas.

Plus, Indiana has sued the app’s owner for “luring children” and failing to protect citizens’ data. Other state governors and AGs will be considering a leap onto this bandwagon.

They’re heeding the FBI warning last week, no doubt. In today’s SB Blogwatch, we wonder what Gerry Rafferty would do.

Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: I don’t know why I came here tonight.

Data Stealers Wheeled Away

I’ve got the feeling that something ain’t right. Hannah Murphy reports—“TikTok faces growing Republican backlash over security concerns”:

Controlled by the Chinese government
Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok is facing growing political backlash in the US as it was sued by the state of Indiana over data security and child safety concerns and banned by multiple Republican state governors from government devices. … The state claims TikTok had “lured children” on to its platform [which is] flooded with … sexual content, profanity, [and] drug references; [and that] TikTok misled Indiana consumers by suggesting that sensitive personal data it collects on users is protected from the Chinese government.

Separately this week, Texas became the latest state — alongside South Dakota, South Carolina and Maryland — to ban the use of TikTok on government devices, citing the growing “threat of the Chinese Communist party gaining access to critical US information and infrastructure.” … The bans follow comments by the FBI director Christopher Wray last week, who alleged that the app’s parent company is “controlled by the Chinese government” … to collect data for “traditional espionage operations” and conduct other “malicious cyber activity.”

I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair. Clowns to the left of me, Brad Dress to the right—“Texas governor bans use of TikTok”:

Concerns about the collection of data
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) … instructed state agencies to ban employee use of TikTok, joining a growing list of GOP governors taking action against the Chinese-owned social media app as national security concerns grow. [He cited] the threat of the ruling Chinese Communist Party in obtaining private data about U.S. citizens.

The Chinese Communist Party maintains vast control over businesses in China. … Companies are required to assist China in intelligence work, including on data sharing.

TikTok, which has more than 85 million users in the U.S., is owned by Chinese company ByteDance and is especially popular among younger Americans, raising concerns about the collection of data concerning minors. U.S. Director of National Security Avril Haines warned last week that parents should be concerned about the use of TikTok, while a Federal Communications Commission member urged a ban on the social app last month.

I’m wondering what it is I should do? lazyeye cuts to the chase:

The argument to ban TikTok doesn’t need to be complicated. Simply block Chinese media apps the same way China blocks all external media apps. … In the context of any other kind of trade relationship would it be acceptable for China to get unfettered access to foreign markets whilst blocking all access to its own?

It’s so hard to keep this smile from my face. ecofeco boggles thuswise:

Wait, social media on government systems? … Who the hell thought this was a good idea in the first place?

Losing control? 93 Escort Wagon drives the point all over the place:

Not that I necessarily disagree, but what about the state employees whose job it is to do social media? Like it or not, social media is part of the modern workplace.

If you want to reach younger people, TikTok is one obvious way to do so. If all you care about are the middle aged and elderly, then sure — stick with Facebook.

Here I am. Stuck in the middle with mbgerring:

TikTok is such an obvious threat. … It’s very hard to understand why we don’t talk about this more.

It’s [not] controversial to say that social media algorithms can be designed to manipulate people, or that this capability is especially dangerous in the hands of a hostile state. … TikTok is ripe for weaponization in any future conflict [with] China.

He started off with nothing. And deadlockvictim is proud that he’s a self-made man:

Ah yes, American politicians being disingenuous again. If you are genuinely concerned about the effects of social media on the youth, then ban all of them (and not just the big Chinese one). … This would be no bad thing.

If you are genuinely concerned about Chinese apps spying on … American youth, then ban all Chinese apps. … Chinese corporations are, by no means, saints but, then again, neither are [U.S.] corporations.

Or is this ban really just petty posturing and point-scoring?

Trying to make some sense of it all? Subsentient can see:

TikTok is terrifying. Definitely keep that **** away from government business.

Meanwhile, it’s cool. cratermoon goes to sleep on the floor: [You’re fired—Ed.]

Security theater and political posturing. I hear that tune playing every time I fly in the US.

And Finally:

A decent cover version

Previously in And Finally


You have been reading SB Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites … so you don’t have to. Hate mail may be directed to @RiCHi or [email protected]. Ask your doctor before reading. Your mileage may vary. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Do not stare into laser with remaining eye. E&OE. 30.

Image sauce: Eyestetix Studio (via Unsplash; leveled and cropped)

Richi Jennings

Richi Jennings is a foolish independent industry analyst, editor, and content strategist. A former developer and marketer, he’s also written or edited for Computerworld, Microsoft, Cisco, Micro Focus, HashiCorp, Ferris Research, Osterman Research, Orthogonal Thinking, Native Trust, Elgan Media, Petri, Cyren, Agari, Webroot, HP, HPE, NetApp on Forbes and CIO.com. Bizarrely, his ridiculous work has even won awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors, ABM/Jesse H. Neal, and B2B Magazine.

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