Certain foreign-owned social media platforms, such as TikTok and WeChat, would be banned from government devices in Florida, under a measure backed Wednesday by the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee.
The proposal (SB 258) also would direct the state Department of Management Services to create a list of prohibited applications that it considers security risks.
“Our kids might think of TikTok as just a fun way to show videos. Unfortunately, that is not the case,” bill sponsor Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said. “It’s an addictive spyware app that has no place on government devices.”
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Burgess said the proposal complements another measure (SB 52) he is sponsoring that, in part, would prohibit student access to social-media platforms through school devices.
“Now we’re capturing all government devices,” Burgess said.
The government-wide proposal follows the White House’s endorsement of federal legislation banning the Chinese-owned TikTok and social messaging app WeChat, along with other technologies deemed a national security threat.
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