Act Daily News
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More than half of all US states have partially or absolutely banned TikTok from authorities units, in response to a Act Daily News evaluation, reflecting a wave of current clampdowns by governors and state companies focusing on the short-form video app.
The accelerating backlash by states towards TikTok, which has a minimum of 100 million customers within the United States, extends to states ruled by Republicans and Democrats, and spans all areas of the nation.
Many of the states have singled out TikTok for government motion, with governors prohibiting the social media platform from authorities networks and units. But some have gone additional — including different apps with hyperlinks to China to their ban lists, together with WeChat and AliPay.
A handful of states are mulling laws to limit TikTok, mirroring comparable efforts on the federal stage by US lawmakers.
The strikes come amid renewed safety considerations about TikTok’s US consumer knowledge and fears that it might discover its technique to the Chinese authorities. Nearly two dozen states introduced restrictions late final 12 months amid stories {that a} negotiation between TikTok and the US authorities had stalled over whether or not the corporate might proceed providing its companies within the United States.
A possible nationwide safety deal continues to be below overview, TikTok has stated, including that it believes a mutual settlement with federal officers is the easiest way to resolve the safety considerations.
“We’re disappointed that so many states are jumping on the bandwagon to enact policies based on unfounded, politically charged falsehoods about TikTok,” a spokesperson for TikTok stated in an announcement supplied to Act Daily News final month on the state actions.
“It’s unfortunate,” the spokesperson stated, “that the many state agencies, offices, and universities on TikTok in those states will no longer be able to use it to build communities and connect with constituents.”