Wisconsin Republicans stress TikTok security concerns, call on Evers to delete account
APPLETON (WLUK) -- Texas and Maryland are the latest states to address cybersecurity risks on the social media platform TikTok; the GOP governors have banned the use of the app on state devices. Wisconsin Republican lawmakers are also looking to do the same.
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher is calling on Gov. Tony Evers to ban TikTok from Wisconsin government devices.
"It is digital fentanyl," said Gallagher. "It’s addicting our kids."
He's also calling on Evers, who has used TikTok in the past, to delete his TikTok account.
"A tool, a weapon, that it can use to track your location, to collect data on your keystrokes, which they can compile in a dossier they could use against you to blackmail you in the future," said Gallagher.
TikTok is a short-form video sharing app that's used by all ages. While much of it is dancing and funny videos, the FBI says it does have national security concerns about the app.
"They include the possibility that the Chinese government could use it to control data collection on millions of users," said Christopher Wray, director of the FBI.
Joseph Wetzel, IT department chair at Fox Valley Technical College, says that's because TikTok has more vulnerability.
"It's owned by ByteDance, which is a company that's located in China," said Wetzel. "China hasn't always been the best when it comes to security and dealing with intellectual information."
He says like any app, if data is compromised, it could get into the wrong hands.
"That bad actor could use your location, they can use your email address and then they know all your inside preferences," said Wetzel.
Wetzel says when dealing with your own security, there are options out there to help keep your data safer.
"Make sure that you have unique passwords for every account. That may be complicated, so you can use a password manager," said Wetzel.
TikTok hopes to reach an agreement with the U.S. to prevent security concerns.
TikTok has responded to claims saying it does not collect precise GPS locations from U.S. users and has never been used to target anyone.
The company also says the data of its more than one billion monthly users is safe.
