I fought downloading TikTok for the longest time. But, during the stay-at-home adventures of 2020, I fell into the trap. And now, I’m addicted. And luckily, due to the field I work in, I even can browse TikTok at worst. It’s called research! But if you are an North Carolina state employee that is not an option anymore. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has banned TikTok for state employees. This comes after the FBI has warned the nation of National security threats due to the app. Listen I’m all about national security, but I’m also about OOTDs, Amazon lists, and shopping hauls. Can’t I just keep my guilty pleasure?
A large number of states have also banned the app for their employees including South Carolina, Texas, New Jersey, and Ohio. It’s also banned on federal devices. “It’s important for us to protect state information technology from foreign countries that have actively participated in cyberattacks against the United States,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement.
The statement goes on to say that “Cybersecurity professionals have identified TikTok and WeChat as high-risk applications due to their lack of sufficient privacy controls and connections to countries that sponsor or support cyber-attacks against the United States.” “It is essential that the state works to ensure the security of government technology,” NC House Representative Robert Reives said. “This Executive Order will help bolster state information technology protections and guard against cyberattacks in the future.”
You can read the full statement from Governor Coopper on the ban of TikTok for North Carolina state employees here.