US TikTok Ban: NYC becomes the latest jurisdiction to ban social media app backed by China’s ByteDance

New York City has joined the growing trend of banning TikTok. On Wednesday, the city issued a fresh directive that prohibits the use of TikTok on devices owned by the city and mandates local agencies to uninstall the app from their phones and tablets within 30 days. As of today, individuals using city-owned devices or networks are no longer allowed to download the app or access it through the website.

A spokesperson from City Hall told reporters that these measures were introduced following an assessment by New York City’s Cyber Command, which identified TikTok as a security risk to the city’s technical networks. Consequently, the directive was issued to ensure the removal of TikTok from city-owned devices.

The spokesperson stated, “Although social media plays a significant role in connecting New Yorkers with each other and the city, we must prioritize secure usage of these platforms. NYC Cyber Command consistently explores and implements proactive measures to safeguard the data of New Yorkers.” TikTok did not respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment.

The ban imposed by New York City is noteworthy due to its association with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, who are prominent supporters of the app on Capitol Hill. Both lawmakers, with a collective following of 1.2 million on TikTok, have opposed previous attempts to ban the app nationwide. Ocasio-Cortez labeled these efforts as “unprecedented.” Bowman was among a group of legislators who defended the app at a rally in D.C. earlier in the year, which featured well-known creators from various parts of the country. It was later revealed that TikTok had covered the travel expenses of these creators.

While around 35 states, including New York, have already taken steps to restrict TikTok access on state-owned devices, the majority focused on concerns regarding the app’s security risks on government networks or devices. Montana, however, took a more extreme step by banning the app on private devices across the entire state. In response, TikTok and a few video creators from Montana filed lawsuits aiming to challenge this law on First Amendment grounds.

Back in 2020, New York state was among the first to prohibit the app on government-issued mobile devices, albeit with exceptions for state public relations activities. This initial ban preceded the subsequent bipartisan call for a nationwide prohibition of the app on devices.