Lewis County commissioners will on Tuesday consider a resolution “prohibiting the download, use and access of TikTok social media app on Lewis County electronic devices and networks,” according to a meeting agenda.
The federal government and 25 states have already instituted similar bans, most recently Kentucky, North Carolina and Wisconsin. The FBI alleged in November that the app poses national security concerns.
The county’s resolution notes the app, which has 135 million users in the United States, is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company.
“ByteDance may gain control of crucial user information stored on mobile devices through TikTok's broad data collection policies, including internet browsing data, keystrokes, and location information, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned these practices may be used to influence Americans or control or compromise software on millions of devices,” the resolution states. “TikTok appears to have the potential ability in its application coding to record users keystrokes while accessing their software from an internet browser from other open browser tabs, even if they are not TikTok, which could compromise passwords and other critical information accessed by Lewis County staff.”
The resolution would prohibit the app and TikTok website on government-issued devices, including cellphones, laptops and any device capable of connecting to the internet.
The change would be incorporated into the Lewis County employee handbook and technology policies.
The Board of County Commissioners meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the commissioners' hearing room.
Here’s the full agenda for the meeting: https://lewiscountywa.gov/media/documents/2023-01-17_Business_Meeting_Agenda.pdf
The proposed resolution is below:
PROHIBITING THE DOWNLOAD, USE, AND ACCESS OF TIKTOK ON LEWIS COUNTY ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND ON LEWIS COUNTY NETWORKS
Resolution Number: 23-019
WHEREAS, Maintaining the cybersecurity of Lewis County is necessary to provide safe and reliable services; and
WHEREAS, The social media platform, TikTok, has over 135 million users in the United States and is owned by Chinese company ByteDance; and
WHEREAS, ByteDance may gain control of crucial user information stored on mobile devices through TikTok's broad data collection policies, including internet browsing data, keystrokes, and location information, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned these practices may be used to influence Americans or control or compromise software on millions of devices; and
WHEREAS, TikTok appears to have the potential ability in its application coding to record users keystrokes while accessing their software from an internet browser from other open browser tabs, even if they are not TikTok, which could compromise passwords and other critical information accessed by Lewis County staff; and
WHEREAS, Several government entities, inlcuding the United States Military and the Transportation Security Administration have banned downloading or using TikTok or visiting the TikTok website on government-issued devices.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED Lewis County shall prohibit access to download or use the TikTok application or visit the TikTok website on government-issued devices, including county-issued cell phones, laptops, or any device capable of internet connectivity; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED Lewis County shall adopt the attached policy to be incorporated into the Lewis County Employee Handbook and Technology Policies.
DONE IN OPEN SESSION this ___ day of ___, ___.
