TikTok faces ban in universities in US. Here's why, check full list

The University of Texas at Austin and other universities have recently announced restrictions on access to TikTok. They join a growing number of colleges in states such as Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgia that have limited access to the app and shut down official university accounts. These actions are often motivated by recent state and federal level bans on TikTok.

These bans on TikTok have been implemented in over 30 states, as well as by a ban on the app on government-issued devices by Congress and on military devices by the U.S. armed forces. The reasons for these bans vary, but concerns about national security and data privacy have been cited as some of the main reasons for the restrictions.

Which colleges have banned TikTok thus far?
Auburn University, Arkansas State University, The University System of Georgia, University of Idaho, Boise State University, University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Montana University System, Oklahoma State University, University of Central Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma, and the University of Texas.

Why ban a social media platform?

TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been a point of concern as critics argue that the app could potentially share sensitive data with the Chinese government. FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed his concerns to Congress in November, stating that he is "extremely concerned" that China could weaponize data collected through the app.

Higher education institutions have been cautious about using TikTok due to the potential for data breaches and the potential loss of public funding or lawsuits that could result. Vanessa Dennen, a professor of instructional systems and learning technologies at Florida State University, said that universities are highly concerned about protecting sensitive information such as personnel data, student data, and research data. Dennen added that it is not unusual for universities to have these concerns given the potential data security issues surrounding TikTok.

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