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Cooper signs executive order to ban TikTok, WeChat on state devices

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order Thursday that directs state information technology officials to develop a policy within 14 days that prohibits the use of TikTok and WeChat on state devices, which include computers and mobile phones.

Last month, Congress passed a spending package that included language banning TikTok from being used on government devices. TikTok is owned by China’s ByteDance company, and lawmakers nationwide have expressed concern about privacy issues and the potential for China to use the app to influence users.

Cybersecurity professionals have identified TikTok and WeChat as high-risk applications due to their lack of sufficient privacy controls and connections to countries that sponsor or support cyberattacks against the United States.

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