Georgia state employees can no longer use Chinese-owned social media apps TikTok, WeChat and Telegram on state devices, Gov. Brian Kemp declared Thursday.
Why it matters: This is part of a national trend of state governors seeking to limit exposure to TikTok in particular — which is owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance.
Catch up quick: The FBI has warned about the possibility of surveillance and “influence operations” through the app by the Chinese government, Axios’ Shawna Chen reports.
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last month said the app presents “legitimate national security concerns” to the U.S.
The big picture: The U.S. Senate voted unanimously this week to ban TikTok on government devices. Other GOP states including Utah, Maryland and Texas also prohibited the app for state agencies.
What they’re saying: In a memo to agency heads, Kemp said the requirement is designed to “prevent any attempt to access and infiltrate” the state’s data and servers.
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