CHARLOTTE — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says the popular apps TikTok and WeChat are too risky for government employees to use them on state-issued devices.
The governor’s office released a statement on Thursday announcing a new executive order that directs the North Carolina Department of Information Technology to “develop a policy within 14 days that prohibits the use of TikTok, WeChat and potentially other applications on state agency information technology systems.”
According to the governor’s office, the two apps are being targeted because of their “lack of sufficient privacy controls and connections to countries that sponsor or support cyber-attacks against the United States.”
TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd., and the app has garnered controversy over privacy concerns, including its ability to track users and their usage.
“I’m deeply concerned about data security and privacy on social media platforms,” NC Attorney General Josh Stein said in a statement. “We, not social media companies, should be able to make decisions about what and how much we share, who we share it with, and how it is used.”
North Carolina is the latest state to announce action against TikTok on government-issued devices. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster made a similar move in 2022, and states like Georgia and New Hampshire have followed suit.
“It’s important for us to protect state information technology from foreign countries that have actively participated in cyberattacks against the United States,” said Governor Cooper. “Protecting North Carolina from cyber threats is vital to ensuring the safety, security, privacy, and success of our state and its people.”
(WATCH BELOW: Emory Healthcare fires 4 nurses for viral TikTok making fun of patients)
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