CHAPEL HILL, NC – NC Governor Roy Cooper has signed an executive order banning TikTok on state-owned devices. Under these new regulations, state employees are now prohibited from installing or utilizing the app. Government devices that currently have TikTok installed on them must remove the app within a grace period outlined in the order.
With these new regulations, North Carolina joins 19 other states in instituting bans on the popular social media application. President Joe Biden signed into law similar restrictions for federal employees at the end of last year.
The move comes as TikTok continues to face scrutiny from legislators for its handling of its user’s personal data and the potential access the Chinese government has to sensitive information.
Bytedance, TikTok’s parent company, has agreed to cooperate with US regulators to address security concerns with the app.
Here on campus, the news has been well received by students. Some view the ban as a way to increase productivity in the state government.
“I think it’s completely warranted to have a TikTok ban on government devices. Why do we have taxpayer money going to devices that employees are watching TikTok on? It’s not fair” said sophomore Gabriel Perez.
Others view the move as the state government being cautious over what has been a controversial app.
Ericsson Moncree is a first-year student at UNC. “It’s such a big platform, your information is all out there, the algorithm is so sophisticated. I can see why someone would be very cautious to use it especially in important matters,” Moncree said.