North Dakota governor bans TikTok in executive agencies
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has banned the popular social media app TikTok from devices owned by the state government’s executive branch, joining several other Republican governors who have done so citing the platform’s Chinese ownership and growing national security worries
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has banned the popular social media app TikTok from devices owned by the state government's executive branch, joining several other Republican governors who have done so citing the platform's Chinese ownership and growing national security worries.
Burgum announced the executive order late Tuesday. In addition to prohibiting downloads of TikTok on government-issued equipment or while connected to the state's network, it bars visiting the TikTok website.
“TikTok raises multiple flags in terms of the amount of data it collects and how that data may be shared with and used by the Chinese government," Burgum said in a statement.
North Dakota is the latest state to allege cybersecurity risks presented by the platform, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who is also a Republican, last week banned the use of TikTok and certain China and Russia-based platforms in the state’s executive branch of government. And South Dakota's Republican governor, Kristi Noem, previously banned state employees and contractors from accessing TikTok on state-owned devices, citing its ties to China.
South Carolina's Republican governor, Henry McMaster, last week asked that state’s Department of Administration to ban TikTok from all state government devices it manages. And Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, blocked TikTok on state electronic devices in August 2020.
Wisconsin’s Republican representatives in Congress last week called on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to delete the video platform TikTok from all state government devices, calling it a national security threat.
The U.S. armed forces also have prohibited the app on military devices.