Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Bans TikTok From All State-Issued Devices

YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images/Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has officially banned TikTok from all state-issued tech devices including phones, computers, and tablets.

On Wednesday, Abbott made it official, citing concerns that the app, which is owned by the Chinese internet tech company ByteDance Ltd, could target state secrets, influence its users, and conduct surveillance on people unknowingly.

According to the Texas Tribune, Abbott sent letters to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dade Phelan, and other state leaders addressing the topic:

Abbott said banning TikTok from government-issued cellphones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers would protect sensitive information and critical infrastructure from the Chinese government.

According to the Tribune, Abbott said, “TikTok harvests vast amounts of data from its users’ devices—including when, where, and how they conduct Internet activity—and offers this trove of potentially sensitive information to the Chinese government.”

Abbott has handed over the project to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Department of Information Resources to help develop a plan as to how this restriction will be implemented for government employees.

Abbott is just one of several Republican governors who have joined together to get rid of TikTok on state tech devices:

Republican governors in South Dakota, South Carolina and Maryland have banned TikTok from government-issued devices. Republicans in Wisconsin petitioned their Democratic governor to do the same.

Law enforcement seems to be the only exception to the new role, in which they will still be allowed to use the app for investigations.