US orders TikTok be taken off all government devices in 30 days
- Move comes before House Republicans are expected to move forward on Tuesday with a bill that would give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide
- TikTok has been dismissive of the ban for federal devices and noted it is developing security and data privacy plans as part of an ongoing national security review
The Office of Management and Budget calls the guidance, issued on Monday, a “critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data.” Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, already have restrictions in place; the guidance calls on the rest of the federal government to follow suit within 30 days.
The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has invested heavily in defending our nation’s digital infrastructure and curbing foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data,” said Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer. “This guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy.”
The guidance was first reported by Reuters.