TikTok to be removed from House-managed devices next month

TikTok and other platforms owned by the China-based company ByteDance will be removed from all House-managed phones on Aug. 15, the chief administrative officer (CAO) of the chamber announced on Tuesday.

The news marks the latest example of Congress cracking down on the popular app amid national security concerns sparked by its parent company.

“Starting August 15, 2024, the CAO Office of Cybersecurity will initiate the block and removal of all ByteDance products from all House-managed devices and app stores,” Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor wrote in a memo to House staffers that was obtained by The Hill.

“ByteDance applications are NOT ALLOWED on any House device,” the communication adds.

The list of platforms under the prohibition include but are not limited to TikTok, Capcut, Hypic, Lark and Lemon8.

The announcement from the CAO comes after the office in December 2022 directed all lawmakers and staffers to remove the app from their official House phones, deeming the platform a “high risk to users due to a number of security risks.” The memo also told staffers they were not permitted to download the app on House mobile devices.

Tuesday’s news, however, goes a step farther, warning staff that the app will be removed from their devices.

“ByteDance products will be blocked and removed on House-managed devices, starting with mobile devices,” the memo says. “If you have a ByteDance application on your House-managed mobile device, you will be contacted to remove it.”

The U.S. is also staring down a potential TikTok ban. Congress passed and President Biden signed a bill in April that included language saying the platform would be banned in the U.S. in a year unless ByteDance divests from the app.

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