US Navy bans TikTok from government-issued mobile devices as 'cybersecurity threat'

The US Navy has issued a policy banning the social media app TikTok from government-issued mobile devices, saying the China-owned video messaging service is a “cybersecurity threat.”

Authorities will block devices with the app from the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.

From Reuters:

A bulletin issued by the Navy on Tuesday showed up on a Facebook page serving military members, saying users of government issued mobile devices who had TikTok and did not remove the app would be blocked from the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.

The Navy would not describe in detail what dangers the app presents, but Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland said in a statement the order was part of an effort to “address existing and emerging threats”.

TikTok did not return a request for comment.

The Navy would not describe in detail what dangers the app presents, but Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland said in a statement the order was part of an effort to “address existing and emerging threats”. https://t.co/wR0UHoqCi6

— Alex Ptachick (@alexptachick) December 23, 2019

I don't think any dystopian sci-fi I've read predicted this kind of future scenario.

US government needs to ban an application with ties to a foreign state (China) because otherwise their own Navy personnel would willingly install it on their own phones.https://t.co/Ounql9rgqU

— Zeh Fernando (@zeh) December 21, 2019

Following five consecutive Russian military selfie bans, this is the largest military digital media ban (not regulation) that we know of. Russian bans didn’t work, so the real question is: how will this be monitored and prosecuted at scale. https://t.co/R6lWrwwTHh

— Akin Unver (@AkinUnver) December 21, 2019

Some internal metrics I’ve seen show how fast it’s growing. It is Spreading like wildfire with heavy engagement across all the key age demographics.

One does wonder if someone should start something similar quickly that’s not based out of China. https://t.co/AANqT4EGMw

— Ben Bajarin (@BenBajarin) December 21, 2019

Expect some great Naval TikTok content to come out of this ban. https://t.co/mFkUnM2il0

— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) December 21, 2019

U.S. Navy banned TikTok on government devices. Reason "cybersecurity threat". Reality: this is not about cybersecurity but rather information security/control. https://t.co/9S9ZmacMK3

— Lukasz Olejnik (@lukOlejnik) December 21, 2019

Read more:
U.S. Navy bans TikTok from government-issued mobile devices

[Reuters, December 20, 2019, M.B. Pell, Echo Wang]

[via techmeme]