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Michigan Bans TikTok From State Devices—Except for Gov. Whitmer

Michigan’s acting chief security officer Jayson Cavendish said the governor's account will remain as it's accessed through a secure device and never used on the state's network.

Michigan quietly banned TikTok from state devices earlier this month—with some notable exceptions. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s popular account BigGretchWhitmer isn’t going anywhere, Michigan’s acting chief security officer Jayson Cavendish said, adding that the account is only accessed through a secure device and never on the state’s wifi. Other exceptions exist for law enforcement, cybersecurity and promotional purposes. “Whether we like it or not, that is a tool for disseminating important information, and that’s how we use it,” Whitmer said to CNN in February about the social media app. Michigan now joins more than half of the country in banning TikTok from state-owned devices due to concerns the China-owned app could present security concerns. Michigan is one of only four Democrat-led states to make the move, joining New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.