London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

TikTok banned on all US House of Representatives-issued mobile devices

TikTok banned on all US House of Representatives-issued mobile devices

TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the US, but the US House of Representatives' chief administrative officer says the video sharing app - which is owned by a Chinese company - poses a security risk.
The US House of Representatives has ordered its staff to delete TikTok from any House-issued mobile devices and forbidden them to download it in the future, according to an internal memo obtained by NBC News.

The email, which was sent by the House's chief administrative officer Catherine L Szpindor on Tuesday, said the office's cybersecurity unit had found TikTok to be a "high risk to users due to a number of security risks".

"House staff are NOT allowed to download the TikTok app on any House mobile devices," the memo said. "If you have the TikTok app on your House mobile device, you will be contacted to remove it."

One of the most popular apps in US, TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which is based in Beijing. Tens of millions of Americans use it every day.

Many members of Congress also use TikTok as a way to communicate with their constituents. But rising security concerns have prompted government officials to warn about the risks.

A measure banning TikTok on some government devices was included in the $1.7trn (£1.4trn) omnibus spending bill passed by Congress last week.

It included a ban on the video sharing app and of any application provided by ByteDance on all executive branch devices. It did not apply to members of Congress and their staff.

The directive from the House does not apply to the Senate, where some members, including Republican Senator Marco Rubio, have called for the app to be completely banned in the US.

FBI Director Christopher Wray warned members of Congress after the midterm elections that the Chinese government could use TikTok to control users' devices for influence or espionage purposes.

TikTok has said it does not store US user data in China and does not share information with the Chinese government and says it's negotiating a deal with the Justice Department to address security concerns.

TikTok vice president and Americas public policy head told NBC News: "We've been working with the federal government on a solution that we believe solves any perceived problem with TikTok beyond a shadow of a doubt".

A representative for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the House ban.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
×