The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has agreed that those government affairs should not include use of a popular app.
The committee voted unanimously Wednesday (July 22) to banish TikTok from government devices, according to the bill's co-sponsor, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
The legislation now moves to the Senate floor.
A House version has already been approved as an amendment to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act.
Calling the company "a major security risk" that has "no place on government devices," Hawley teamed with fellow Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida back in March to introduce the self-evidently titled "No TikTok on Government Devices Act."
Related: Hawley Slams No-Shows Tik Tok, Apple
Under bipartisan pressure from Congress, the State Department, DHS and the TSA have all banned their employees from using the Chinese-backed short-form mobile video app on government devices, and even advised them to have their children uninstall it from their personal devices, Hawley pointed out last week. The bill would make it a blanket ban over all government agencies.
Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.
