HOUSTON — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s TikTok ban from state-issued devices and services takes effect next month and public universities are already beginning the process of restricting access to the app.
The governor cited security concerns with the Chinese-owned company that could jeopardize state information as a reason to ban the app.
Now, TikTok is being blocked at several public universities throughout the state.
“Yeah, it makes sense why they would ban TikTok,” George Lieng, a University of Houston student said.
TikTok is a video-sharing mobile app that is owned by a Chinese firm.
Gov. Abbott released the following news release in December, offering some insight into the decision:
“TikTok harvests vast amounts of data from its users’ devices—including when, where, and how they conduct internet activity—and offers this trove of potentially sensitive information to the Chinese government.”
Some students said they understand the ban.
“It’s a security issue,” Nico Mangilat, another UH student said. “I think there are some legitimate concerns for sure.”
Houston-area universities are responding to the governor’s directive ahead of a February 15 deadline.
The University of Houston issued the following statement regarding the ban:
"The University of Houston immediately ceased activity on all of its University-managed TikTok accounts following the Governor’s order last month. The UHS Information Security team has scanned more than 20,000 University-owned devices across the UH System, and the app was removed from six devices. The University has not made any changes to the university’s Wi-Fi or internet systems as it relates to the order."
Prairie View A&M, along with Texas Southern University, “will prohibit TikTok on university wi-fi, networks and state-issued devices, including cell phones, laptops and desktop computers.”
Another UH student, Arely Martinez said, "I don’t think it should be prioritized at all and I don’t think it’s valid.”
Some university students don’t believe the ban is necessary.
“If you’re going to ban TikTok it’s like banning YouTube, it’s like banning Instagram," Texas Southern University student Jacob Bey said. "All of those platforms for people to network themselves to get out there in front of other people."
There’s a law in China that requires businesses to help their government in intelligence work, including data sharing.
TikTok has 85 million users in the United States.
The FBI has also warned of security issues with the app.