PHOENIX — An executive order from Governor Katie Hobbs has given Arizona state organizations 30 days to remove TikTok from both state-owned devices, and the personal devices of state employees that are used for state business.
The governor's office announced the move Wednesday morning, citing the potential data-security risk the app presents.
“This is a necessary step to ensure the protection of state data and reflects our commitment to keeping Arizonans safe,” said Governor Hobbs in a pre-written statement. “My office is working closely with state entities to ensure this transition happens smoothly.”
Hobbs says that state agencies will have 30 days to comply with the restrictions, but will have the opportunity to apply for exemptions given "sufficient justification."
The Executive order states that "TikTok has been found to have security vulnerabilities that, if unresolved, could expose State-owned or State-leased devices to malicious actors creating potential security and privacy risks to State agencies[...]"
Under the new restrictions, all state agencies will be required to remove TikTok from both their state-owned devices, and personal devices used for state work.
The order also established a yearly report from the Arizona Department of Administration and Arizona Department of Homeland Security to identify other applications that pose potential cybersecurity threats.
You can read the full executive order below:
TikTok banned from Arizona Attorney General's Office devices
The Arizona Attorney General's Office (AAGO) is joining a growing list of state-affiliated organizations banning TikTok from their internal devices, following an order from Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Mayes publicly announced the ban Wednesday morning following an internal email to AAGO employees earlier in the week. She cited concerns over potential security risks and urged other state agencies to ban the app on their devices as well.
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“Data security is paramount, especially for government agencies that handle sensitive information,” said Attorney General Mayes in a pre-written statement.
“We cannot risk the potential exposure of our data to foreign entities. Banning TikTok on state-owned devices is a necessary measure to protect our operations, and I urge other state agencies to take the same proactive steps to safeguard their data.”
Mayes also added, “Given the inability of TikTok’s CEO to definitively state that the Chinese government cannot access data collected from U.S. users, I remain unconvinced that the app’s security risks have been adequately addressed.”
Officials in Texas have claimed that TikTok and other popular social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram have been used as recruitment tools for potential human smugglers.
When asked if the TikTok ban would impede investigations relating to the app, a spokesman with the AAGO said that "the new policy allows for exceptions on a case by case basis if TikTok must be accessed in the course of business."
The ban only disallows TikTok on state-owned devices within the AAGO, and does not ban the app from privately-owned devices used by employees.
Still, the office stressed that employees will be "discouraged" from using TikTok if they use their personal devices for business-related purposes.
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