The Westminster City Council voted April 5 to ban the controversial social media app, TikTok, and websites made by China-based Bytedance Ltd., calling them a “security risk” to city networks.
The resolution, approved on a 5–0 vote, bans the download and use of TikTok and prohibits personal phones from using it while accessing the city’s wifi.
“It is important to ensure the city and its networks are protected from the vulnerabilities presented by the use of these platforms,” read a city staff report on the issue.
The motion for the ban was at the request of Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen and Vice Mayor NamQuan Nguyen following national security concerns raised about TikTok in December 2022 by FBI Director Christopher Wray, that China could use the app to collect user’s data—even when the app is not in use—and control content in favor of the country.
The U.S. Congress voted to ban federal employees from using TikTok on government-owned devices in December 2022, and California State Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R-Murrieta) have also introduced bills to prohibit state employees from using the app as well.
Westminster officials are specifically concerned that any potential data harvested “can reveal sensitive information that can be leveraged or exploited against the city,” according to the staff report.
The council additionally discussed banning all social media apps from city-issued phones. However, City Manager Christine Cordon said such wasn’t “pragmatic” since city staffs need to use their phones to operate city-run social media pages.
