Indiana blocks TikTok from state devices, joins 19 other states in legislation against the app
The Indiana Office of Technology announced on Thursday that Chinese social media app TikTok has been blocked on public devices.
Bureau spokesman Craig Lubsen said TikTok is « blocked for use in our state system and on our state devices » starting Dec. 7, according to The Journal Gazette via The Associated Press.
In an email to the newspaper, Lubsen said the office is « constantly testing the state system and ensuring the integrity is intact. »
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has come out openly against the use of the social media app in general, saying on Thursday that it was « more important than ever » to protect children from the app and encouraging parents to remove it from their child’s phone.
INDIANA AG LAWSUIT TIKTOK, CLAIMING SERVICE MISLEADS USERS ABOUT INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT
In a 29-second video posted to Twitter, Rokita demonstrated how parents can set content controls and restrictions on an iPhone.
« Our children are our greatest assets, so we must act now, » he concluded.
The block was originally announced on Dec. 8, the same day Rokita sued the social media app, claiming the platform misled its users about the level of inappropriate content and the security of consumer information.
So-Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., listens during the House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing on « State of American Schools and Workplaces: Expanding Opportunity in America’s Schools and Workplaces » on Wednesday, February 4, 2015.
(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)
He said in a complaint that while the social video app claims to be safe for users 13 and older, it contains « salacious and inappropriate content » available to younger users « for unlimited periods, day and night. , in an effort to line TikTok’s pockets with billions of dollars from American consumers. »
A separate complaint from Rokita argued that the app contains sensitive and personal information about users, but misleads consumers into believing that this information is secure.
SOUTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR BANS TIKTOK FOR STATE AGENCIES, WARNING SECURITY THREAT
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020. In a statement from the company at the time, TikTok said its « top priority » was « the security, privacy and security of our community ».
« We’re building youth wellbeing into our policies, limiting features by age, giving parents tools and resources, and continuing to invest in new ways to enjoy content based on age or comfort. family, » the statement said. “We are also confident that we are on the right track in our negotiations with the U.S. government to fully satisfy all reasonable national security concerns of the United States, and we have already made significant progress toward implementing these solutions. . »
A person presses the TikTok app on a smartphone.
(Marijan Murat/photo alliance via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Indiana joins 19 other states in issuing some sort of ban on using the app on state-owned and government-issued devices.
A federal ban was also included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday. The president has until February 2023 to implement the rules that will ban the social media app from federally operated devices.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
GB2
