Texas governor Greg Abbott has responded to an “epic” ice storm that left at least eight people dead and hundreds of thousands without electricity by… vowing to ban TikTok.
“Announcing today a statewide plan to ban TikTok. Texans, especially our state agencies and employees, must be protected from having sensitive information shared with the Chinese Communist Party. We cannot ignore this security threat,” the governor tweeted.
Abbott’s plan would “prevent the download or use of TikTok and prohibited technologies on any state-issued device identified in the statewide plan,” including “all state-issued cell phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and other devices of capable of internet connectivity. Each agency’s IT department must strictly enforce this ban.” The University of Texas at Austin has already blocked access to the app on campus wi-fi.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Information Resources developed a plan for state agencies on managing personal and state-issued devices used to conduct state business. Each agency will have until February 15, 2023 to implement its own policy to enforce this statewide plan.
Abbott’s proposal wouldn’t effect you, a private citizen with a non-government job who enjoys watching videos of cats snoring, but it could be a step towards it.
Announcing today a statewide plan to ban TikTok.
Texans, especially our state agencies and employees, must be protected from having sensitive information shared with the Chinese Communist Party.
We cannot ignore this security threat.
More: https://t.co/CZJb0NlWCv
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 6, 2023
(Via the Dallas Morning News)