MARYLAND BANS TIKTOK IN STATE AGENCIES, LATEST STATE TO ACT

Maryland is banning the use of TikTok and certain China and Russia-based platforms in the state’s executive branch of government, Gov. Larry Hogan said this week, the latest state to address cybersecurity risks presented by the platforms.

The Republican governor announced an emergency cybersecurity directive to prohibit the platforms' use, saying they could be involved in cyberespionage, government surveillance and inappropriate collection of sensitive personal information.

"There may be no greater threat to our personal safety and our national security than the cyber vulnerabilities that support our daily lives, Hogan said in a statement, adding: "To further protect our systems, we are issuing this emergency directive against foreign actors and organizations that seek to weaken and divide us."

The Maryland directive comes a week after South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, also a Republican, banned state employees and contractors from accessing TikTok on state-owned devices, citing its ties to China. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, also a Republican, asked the state's Department of Administration to ban TikTok from all state government devices it manages. Nebraska Gov.

Pete Ricketts blocked TikTok on state electronic devices in August 2020.

The U.S. armed forces also have prohibited the app on military devices.