The shadow of prohibition looms over TikTok once again in the United States. This week, New York has become the latest American city to ban TikTok, completely prohibiting its use on official devices.
According to the directive issued by the New York City government this Wednesday, TikTok is completely banned on all municipal-owned devices, and agencies are required to remove the app within the next 30 days.
This decision is said to have been made after the New York City Cyber Command estimated that TikTok “poses a threat to the security of the city’s technical networks,” as reported by The Verge.
In this way, New York would be following the guidelines of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, which discourages the use of TikTok on government devices.
“While social media is great for connecting New Yorkers to one another and to the city, we have to make sure we’re always using these platforms in a safe manner,” a spokesperson for the New York City Council stated. “The New York City Cyber Command regularly explores and advances proactive measures to keep New Yorkers’ data safe.”
The ban in New York City follows the path that was initiated by the state of Montana in May, becoming the first U.S. state to pass a law banning TikTok throughout the region, prohibiting both access to the app and hosting it on local servers.
Following the enactment of this controversial law, a group of TikTok users and the company itself sued the state, governed by Greg Gianforte, claiming that it was a clear violation of the citizens’ right to freedom of expression in Montana.
Furthermore, TikTok is already banned on official devices in some countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and France, as well as several European institutions. Will there be more bans? Most likely, but it’s unclear what steps TikTok could take to address the situation beyond the Texas Project, of which not much is known as of today.
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