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U.S. Army Bans Soldiers From Using TikTok

The move comes after the Navy implemented a similar ban earlier this month.

The United States Army has banned soldiers from using the Chinese-owned video app TikTok, calling it a security concern. “A Cyber Awareness Message sent out on 16 December identifies TikTok as having potential security risks associated with its use,” Army spokesperson Lt. Col Robin L. Ochoa told CNN. “The message directs appropriate action for employees to take in order to safeguard their personal information. The guidance is to be wary of applications you download, monitor your phones for unusual and unsolicited texts etc., and delete them immediately and uninstall TikTok to circumvent any exposure of personal information.” The move comes after the Navy also barred the use of the app earlier this month, telling sailors that anyone who hadn’t removed the app from their government-issued phone would be banned from the Navy intranet, according to Reuters. In October, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) called on the U.S. intelligence community to assess TikTok’s national security risks, saying the app could be used to spy on U.S. citizens.