More than half of US states have cracked down on TikTok access from government devices

CALIFORNIA MAY BE NEXT. >> ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR APPS MAY SOON BE BANNED ON DEVICES OWNED BY CALIFORNIA STATE AGENCIES. >> THE GOALS ARE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. >> DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR BILL DODD UNVEILED A MEASURE THIS WEEK THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE STATE’S 230,000 EMPLOYEES FROM DOWNLOADING AND USING TIKTOK AND OTHER HIGH-RISK APPS ON STATE ISSUED PHONES AND ELECTRONICS. >> SO THAT WE DON’T PUT THE INFORMATION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT RISK. >> THE DATA HE SAYS THAT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED INCLUDES TAXPAYER INFORMATION, HEALTH AND EMPLOYMENT RECORDS. HIS BILL COMES WEEKS AFTER THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE WAS HIT BY A POTENTIALLY FOREIGN CYBER SECURITY ATTACK, WHICH IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. >> WHEN YOU ARE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IT’S BIG TIME IN , TERMS OF MONEY AND DATA AND PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE DATA. >> THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT BEING MADE JUST BY DEMOCRATS. REPUBLICANS HAVE A PROPOSAL OF THEIR OWN. REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY MEMBER KATE SANCHEZ IS PROPOSING A SIMILAR MEASURE TO PROTECT STATE INFORMATION. HER BILL FOCUSES ON PREVENTING FOREIGN THREATS FROM APPS BASED IN COUNTRIES LIKE RUSSIA AND CHINA. >> WE HAVE SEEN THIS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND I THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME CALIFORNIA DOES PROTECT AND PUT CALIFORNIANS FIRST. >> SEVERAL CALIFORNIA POLITICIANS USE TIKTOK, INCLUDING GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM. >> FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY, PATRIOTISM IS AT STAKE. >>’S OFFICE SAID IT HAS EXPERTS REVIEWING THE ISSUE BUT HAD NO FURTHER COMMENT. STATE SENATOR TOM UMBERG IS THE CHAIRMAN OF ONE OF THE COMMITTEES THAT WILL CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL. HE SAYS THE LEGISLATURE WILL NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THIS KIND OF BAN. >> THAT IS A MODE OF COMMUNICATION THAT A LOT OF FOLKS USE AND SO WHEN GOVERNMENT STARTS TO BAN MODES OF COMMUNICATION, THAT A 70 THAT

Video above: California to consider TikTok ban on state devicesMore than half of all U.S. states have partially or fully banned TikTok from government devices, according to a CNN analysis, reflecting a wave of recent clampdowns by governors and state agencies targeting the short-form video app.The accelerating backlash by states against TikTok, which has at least 100 million users in the United States, extends to states governed by Republicans and Democrats, and spans all regions of the country.Many of the states have singled out TikTok for executive action, with governors prohibiting the social media platform from government networks and devices. But some have gone further — adding other apps with links to China to their ban lists, including WeChat and AliPay.Video below: Wisconsin congressman leads effort on nationwide TikTok banA handful of states are mulling legislation to restrict TikTok, mirroring similar efforts at the federal level by U.S. lawmakers.The moves come amid renewed security concerns about TikTok's U.S. user data and fears that it could find its way to the Chinese government. Nearly two dozen states announced restrictions late last year amid reports that a negotiation between TikTok and the U.S. government had stalled over whether the company could continue offering its services in the United States.A potential national security deal is still under review, TikTok has said, adding that it believes a mutual agreement with federal officials is the best way to resolve the security concerns."We're disappointed that so many states are jumping on the bandwagon to enact policies based on unfounded, politically charged falsehoods about TikTok," a spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement provided to CNN last month on the state actions."It's unfortunate," the spokesperson said, "that the many state agencies, offices, and universities on TikTok in those states will no longer be able to use it to build communities and connect with constituents."

Video above: California to consider TikTok ban on state devices

More than half of all U.S. states have partially or fully banned TikTok from government devices, according to a CNN analysis, reflecting a wave of recent clampdowns by governors and state agencies targeting the short-form video app.

The accelerating backlash by states against TikTok, which has at least 100 million users in the United States, extends to states governed by Republicans and Democrats, and spans all regions of the country.

Many of the states have singled out TikTok for executive action, with governors prohibiting the social media platform from government networks and devices. But some have gone further — adding other apps with links to China to their ban lists, including WeChat and AliPay.

Video below: Wisconsin congressman leads effort on nationwide TikTok ban

A handful of states are mulling legislation to restrict TikTok, mirroring similar efforts at the federal level by U.S. lawmakers.

The moves come amid about TikTok's U.S. user data and fears that it could find its way to the Chinese government. Nearly two dozen states announced restrictions late last year amid reports that a negotiation between TikTok and the U.S. government had stalled over whether the company could continue offering its services in the United States.

A potential national security deal is still under review, TikTok has said, adding that it believes a mutual agreement with federal officials is the best way to resolve the security concerns.

"We're disappointed that so many states are jumping on the bandwagon to enact policies based on unfounded, politically charged falsehoods about TikTok," a spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement provided to CNN last month on the state actions.

"It's unfortunate," the spokesperson said, "that the many state agencies, offices, and universities on TikTok in those states will no longer be able to use it to build communities and connect with constituents."

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