ARKANSAS, USA — Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson directed the head of the state's Division of Information Systems to inform all state employees that the TikTok app was banned from being used on state-issued devices.
In a tweet sent on Friday, Dec. 16, Hutchinson said he made the directive last week after the FBI director warned of the app's privacy and data collections policies.
The memorandum is attached, which states that along with TikTok being banned from state-owned and issued devices, it "shall not be used on any devices connected to the State network unless it is for an authorized law enforcement or security purpose."
Arkansas Senator Gary Stubblefield co-authored a bill that had the same goals in mind, which if passed would prohibit public entities from using TikTok on any state-owned or leased device including phones and computers.
If this becomes law it would mean state agencies like the Department of Health and ARDOT could not use the social media platform to get their message out.
“The more data they collect, the more money they make, which is an incentive for more and more people, though, these kids to download this app,” Stubblefield said.
Stubblefield, who is a Republican, represents District 26 which includes Franklin and Logan counties as well as part of Johnson and Sebastian counties.
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a measure on Wednesday, Dec. 14, that would ban federal employees from using TikTok on all government devices.
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