South Dakota banned TikTok use for state employees due to national security concerns, becoming the first state to implement such restrictions amid increasing Congressional scrutiny of the platform.

Governor Kristi Noem announced the immediate ban on November 30, citing concerns about China's intelligence gathering and influence operations through the app. The decision aligns with warnings from high-ranking federal officials about TikTok's data collection practices and potential national security risks.

FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed specific concerns to the House Homeland Security Committee about:

• Chinese government's potential control over user data collection
• Manipulation of the recommendation algorithm for influence operations
• Possible technical compromise of personal devices through software control

Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, compared TikTok to a communications network for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He emphasized the platform's extensive data collection capabilities, noting it captures information beyond just user posts, including keystrokes and eye movements.

The platform's data collection practices have raised significant privacy concerns, with previous investigations revealing:

• Analysis of clipboard material
• Evidence of backdoors allowing China to access sensitive data
• Collection of extensive user behavioral data
• Background data gathering beyond visible user activity

These security concerns highlight growing tensions between US officials and Chinese-owned social media platforms, particularly regarding data privacy and national security implications.

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