TikTok Is Now Banned On Mobile Devices Issued By The US House of Representatives

The US House of Representatives has taken a stance against TikTok, the popular social media app owned by Chinese company ByteDance. In an internal memo obtained by NBC News, it was revealed that the House’s Chief Administrative Officer ordered staff to immediately delete TikTok from any devices issued by the House. This move points to security concerns regarding how ByteDance handles customer data. 

The CAO’s Office of Cybersecurity believes that there is a “high risk” associated with using TikTok due to its lack of transparency in regard to user data and privacy policies. The memo stated that “House staff is NOT allowed to download the TikTok app on any House mobile devices,” and those who already had it installed were contacted and asked to remove it. Furthermore, downloading the app on future devices is now prohibited. 

This announcement follows recent developments in which India banned 59 Chinese-owned apps over security concerns, including TikTok as well as WeChat and UC Browser. It is also further evidence of growing scrutiny towards China-based companies with regard to data security practices—a sentiment shared by both private individuals and government entities alike due in part to ongoing trade tensions between the two countries.  

Given this trend, other governments may soon follow suit with similar restrictions for their own citizens or institutions in order to protect sensitive information from being exposed online or used for malicious purposes such as espionage or cyber-attacks. 

The US House of Representative's decision serves as a warning sign for all users when it comes to digital safety: be aware of which apps you are downloading onto your device (especially if they come from overseas) because not all companies handle user data responsibly or securely enough for public use. The potential risks should always be weighed against any potential benefits before making a decision about whether or not an app should be downloaded onto a device—particularly one belonging to an institution like Congress!