NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Multiple states are taking action against the social media app TikTok, with Tennessee becoming the latest to join the movement.
Trouble is on the horizon for the popular video-sharing giant that is extremely popular among children and young adults. The social media app is now under fire in Tennessee, with some federal regulators calling for a total ban.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said the app should not be allowed to operate in the United States, warning that the app is allowing “communist TikTok to steal your information.”
“Isn’t it amazing? TikTok will give you the same ol, same ol, and what have we found out? It appears they are letting the Chinese Communist Party have access to your information,” claimed Blackburn.
In fact, personal social media platforms on state devices have been banned for some time. Now, government officials have added TikTok to that list.
In a statement to News 2, the governor’s office said steps have been made to ban the app on all devices with access to government networks:
“The state has also taken additional steps to block the access of TikTok on any device- personal or state-owned device that connects to the state network.”
Rick Jordan, a cybersecurity specialist and CEO of Reachout Technology, explained the concerns government officials across the nation are sharing about the app.
“It lives here now in the U.S., but there’s still evidence, according to the FBI, they’re alleging that the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] is still targeting that data and just accessing it remotely now,” said Jordan.
A spokesperson for TikTok said the concerns are “largely fueled by misinformation about our company.”
