NYC bans use of TikTok on city-owned phones, joining federal government, majority of states

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City has directed its employees to delete TikTok from their city-issued phones. The city joins the federal government and more than half of U.S. states in banning the use of the Chinese-owned social media app on government-owned devices. A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams says the city’s top information security officials determined that TikTok posed a security threat to the city’s technical networks. The federal government ordered employees to delete TikTok from government-issued cellphones earlier this year. More than half of U.S. states have enacted similar bans. There was no immediate response after a message seeking comment on the New York City ban was sent to a TikTok spokesperson Thursday.