SALT LAKE CITY — Users with devices owned by the State of Utah will not be allowed to download or use TikTok after an order issued by Gov. Spencer Cox.
More specifically, the order states that agencies and agency employees may not download or use the TikTok app or visit TikTok online while on a state-owned electronic device.
The order goes into effect immediately.
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Cox cited security threats as his motivation behind the order.
“China’s access to data collected by TikTok presents a threat to our cybersecurity,” said Cox in a statement. “As a result, we’ve deleted our TikTok account and ordered the same on all state-owned devices. We must protect Utahns and make sure that the people of Utah can trust the state’s security systems.”
The Utah Department of Transportation's TikTok account, with more than 123,000 followers, had already been taken down by Monday morning.
Cox responded on Twitter from his personal account, saying users can find the same UDOT content on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Multiple other states, including South Dakota and Maryland, have also issued TikTok bans for certain government agencies on state-issued devices.
