TikTok banned on State of Texas devices

Blanca Reyes, Editor-in-Chief
February 23, 2023

Texas governor Greg Abbott announced a statewide model security plan for the state agencies, including institutions of Higher Education, to address the security concerns of using TikTok and other software on smart devices from personal to stated-issued devices at the beginning of February, according to information provided on the website gov.texas.gov.

All the state agencies will have until February 15, 2023, to come up with a policy to implement this plan.

According to a press release by the Dallas College, four guidelines were presented for compliance. Beginning February 15, 2023, Dallas College employees must take the following actions in regard to the statewide plan:

  • “Cease all use of TikTok, via the web or the application (“app”) on College-issued devices and, if you have not already done so, remove the TikTok app from any College- issued device in your possession.
  • Cease posting to TikTok on College-sponsored accounts.
  • Refrain from downloading the TikTok app to a College-issued device.
  • Remove all links to TikTok (web, app, or otherwise) from College-sponsored web pages.”

In order to follow the state’s requirements, the district will develop a plan to achieve the following goals:

  • Ban and prevent the download or use of prohibited technologies, including but not limited to TikTok, on any College-issued device.
  • Prohibit College employees and contractors from conducting College business on prohibited technology-enabled personal devices.
  • Identify sensitive locations, meetings, or personnel within the College that could be exposed to prohibited technology-enabled personal devices. Prohibited technology-enabled devices must be prohibited from entering or being used in these sensitive areas.
  • Implement network-based restrictions to prevent the use of prohibited technologies on College networks by any device.

Coordinate incorporation of other technology providers into the plan, as necessary, including any apps, services, hardware, or software that pose a threat to the College’s sensitive information and critical infrastructure into this plan.