New Jersey mulls restricted TikTok use in agencies

New Jersey is considering prohibiting state agencies from using the popular video-sharing platform TikTok on devices that are used for government affairs, reports Al Jazeera. Upcoming guidance would require state agencies to leverage separate and isolated devices for TikTok use although discussions on an outright ban on TikTok across state devices and personal devices for state business are still ongoing, said New Jersey Chief Information Security Officer Michael Geraghty in an email sent to state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness colleagues. "The decision to ban or restrict the use of a particular app or website is ultimately up to the agency making the decision, and can depend on a variety of factors, including the potential risks and benefits of using the app or website, the policies and practices of the developers, and the overall security and privacy landscape," said Geraghty, who added that usage of TikTok implicitly endorses China's suspicious operations. TikTok has already been banned or restricted on government devices across at least 19 states.