Louisiana's public school superintendent stands with other state officials to ban TikTok in public schools

TikTokPhoto bySolen FeyissaonUnsplash

The popular video-sharing app TikTok has been gaining a lot of negative attention lately among US lawmakers. Fearing TikTok could potentially be a threat to US security by releasing confidential information which can then be used to harm our country. US lawmakers feel they need to take control before it could potentially get out of hand,

Louisiana's state superintendent of education Dr. Cade Brumley is the next state official to urge state lawmakers to implement restrictions on state public devices. Brumley advised public schools to immediately take down the app and any other software produced by ByteDance Ltd. Additionally, he suggested that TikTok be banned as a means of communication for educational institutions, including co-curricular clubs, extracurricular groups, and sports teams.

Critics of TikTok worry that the Chinese government could acquire sensitive information through the app and use it to propagate disinformation. ByteDance Ltd., a Chinese business, owns TikTok. Concerns have also been raised about the content of TikTok and whether it is bad for teenagers' mental health.

On all networks controlled by the state Office of Technology Services, TikTok traffic was outlawed by Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne last month. This pertains to personal devices while they are linked to state wireless networks, as well as agency-owned phones and laptops.

Similarly, Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin outlawed TikTok on any devices provided by his office back in mid-December.

A current national debate has risen about TikTok. The $1.7 trillion omnibus budget measure that Congress adopted last month forgoes TikTok on the majority of employee smartphones provided by the U.S. government. Such limitations have already been enacted by one Democratic governor and at least 15 Republican governors.

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