New York City on Wednesday joined states and federal agencies in banning TikTok from government-owned devices based on security concerns, taking down some popular city-run TikTok accounts in the process.
Jonah Allen, a spokeswoman for Mayor Eric Adams, said in a statement that the city’s cyber command determined that the app “poses a security threat to the city’s technology network.” City agencies must remove the app within 30 days and employees will lose access to TikTok and its website from city-owned devices and networks.
Mr. Adams, the TikTok accounts for the city’s Department of Sanitation and Parks and Recreation, updated their bios with this message: “This account was operated by NYC until August 2023. It is no longer monitored.”
Very Government officials restricting access to TikTok in response to concerns that the app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, could give Beijing access to sensitive user data. New York State has banned TikTok On state-issued mobile devices for more than three years, with few exceptions.
The restrictions are largely limited to official devices, though Montana recently passed a bill banning TikTok statewide. That rule, which is set to take effect on January 1, is being challenged by TikTok on several grounds, including alleging that it violates the First Amendment.
Tiktok declined to comment on the earlier ban informed of by The Verge.
The city’s sanitation department has become unpredictable TIC Toc Darling is garnering nearly 50,000 followers with videos highlighting its workers and memes surrounding the new garbage-collection time. New York Magazine’s Curbed site praised Account last year, saying that the department “stands out as a bunch of genuine, hardworking people in their TikTok.” Account got another boost Last year when an announcement by the city’s Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch went viral on TikTok: “The rats will absolutely hate this announcement. But rats don’t run this city, we do.
While some TikTok viewers may mourn the loss of such accounts, they can still watch Empire State-related events on New York State’s official TikTok account @NYGov, which recently fueled the “girl dinner” trend. a video praising the “New York State Girl Dinner” of pizza, Hudson Valley cheese, Tate’s cookies and bagels.
Michael Gold Contributed reporting.
