Written by: Katie Scott, business reporter Brainz Magazine
US Government agencies have 30 days to ensure that all federal devices and systems do not have the TikTok app on them.
Reuters has revealed the timeline in an exclusive story after seeing a guidance memorandum sent by the Office of Management and Budget. The action follows the agreement of the ban late last year. Similar action has been taken by other governmental organisations, including the EU and the Canadian Government.
However, this move is being mooted as a possible precursor to a US-wide ban of the Chinese-owned app as a result of national security fears. The American House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to vote on a bill that would give the President the authority to issue such a ban, says Reuters. It quotes committee chair, Representative Mike McCaul, who stated: “My bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten US national security. Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the (Chinese Communist Party) a backdoor to all their personal information. It’s a spy balloon into your phone."
