New York City bans TikTok on city-owned devices, citing Central Command's security concerns

The Chinese social media app TikTok has been a subject of great controversy over the past year, as many believe it's the communist's essential spy tool on what's happening in America, thanks to the staggering amount of data created by users of the app.

According to Breitbart, while many states and cities have taken measures to ban the app on government devices, New York City, shockingly, was the latest city to take similar actions.

New York City has banned TikTok on government-owned devices due to security concerns. TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has faced growing calls from US lawmakers for a nationwide ban over concerns about possible Chinese government influence https://t.co/5kuejIsC60 pic.twitter.com/Loq2tC1UOW

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 17, 2023

Breitbart noted, citing a report from The Verge:

The city has issued a directive requiring all city agencies to remove the app from city-owned devices within the next 30 days.

The decision to ban the Chinese app on city agency devices came after the app was reviewed by the NYC Cyber Command, which deemed the app to be a security threat to the city's cyber infrastructure.

A New York City Hall spokesperson issued a statement on the sudden app ban.

"NYC Cyber Command regularly explores and advances proactive measures to keep New Yorkers’ data safe," the statement read.

It added, "While social media is great at connecting New Yorkers with one another and the city, we have to ensure we are always using these platforms in a secure manner."

The decision to ban the app came in the wake of guidance from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which discouraged use of the TikTok app on government devices.

TikTok has been the subject of intense controversy and discussion, especially on the heels of a televised congressional hearing in which it was battered by top lawmakers from both sides, citing privacy and spying concerns.

There also exists a bill in Congress that would ban TikTok from the United States, with claims that its Chinese owner, ByteDance, is using the app to spy on millions of its American users.

While there have been strong efforts to ban the app on many levels, the company itself and many of TikTok's high-profile creators and influencers have teamed up, citing First Amendment violation concerns.

Should Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the White House after the next election, the possibility of a nationwide TikTok ban could be much closer to happening.

Only time will tell if TikTok and its massive lobbying power will be enough to save it.