Earlier this month, Michigan discreetly banned TikTok from state-owned smartphones, with important exclusions.
The popular account of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, BigGretchWhitmer, will not be deleted, according to Michigan’s acting chief security officer Jayson Cavendish, who added that the account could only be accessed through a protected device and never on the state’s wifi. There are also exclusions for law enforcement, cybersecurity, and marketing. Whitmer stated to CNN in February on the social networking app, “Whether we like it or not, it is a vehicle for disseminating vital information, and that is how we use it.”
Due to security concerns over the China-based software, Michigan has joined more than half of the US in banning TikTok from state-owned smartphones. Michigan is one of just four states run by Democrats to adopt this policy, joining New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.