US Government Agencies Have 30 Days to Unload TikTok
Government agencies have less than a month to scrub their devices of TikTok.
On Monday, Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), issued a 30-day deadline(Opens in a new window) to remove TikTok from government-issued handsets, ban future installations, and prevent internet traffic to the app.
"This guidance is part of the administration's ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people's security and privacy," Federal Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeRusha said in a statement published by Reuters(Opens in a new window).
There are some exceptions "for law enforcement activities, national security interests and activities, and security research," which must be approved by agency leaders and may last up to one year, according to Young's memorandum. They apply only when access to TikTok is "critical" and there are no viable alternative approaches—like during a major disaster or emergency, in the course of investigating crimes, or to identify digital security threats.
Agencies have a further 60 days to end or modify contracts requiring the use of TikTok and ensure no new contracts involve the ByteDance-owned platform. Within 120 days, they must add a new prohibition on TikTok in all new solicitations. The ban applies to tech used in government work, but not what's "acquired by a federal contractor incidental to a federal contract."
The action, as Reuters notes, does not affect the more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on private or non-government devices.
During a Tuesday press gaggle, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton said(Opens in a new window) "the Biden administration is focused on the challenge of
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