NYC reverses TikTok ban on gov't devices

NEW YORK, April 1 (Xinhua) -- New York City (NYC) has lifted its ban on TikTok for government-owned devices, allowing agencies to resume posting on the platform under new security protocols, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Tuesday via the app itself.

The original prohibition, established in 2023 by former Mayor Eric Adams, aligned with the federal government and many U.S. states that restricted the app on government-owned devices due to concerns about its parent company, ByteDance. TikTok has previously dismissed these concerns as unfounded.

Under the new guidelines issued by NYC Cyber Command, agencies must use dedicated devices for TikTok that do not contain sensitive data.

The city's cyber agency said the move is aimed at expanding communication with residents. "The Mamdani administration is committed to using every tool in our toolbox to communicate with New Yorkers," it said.

The official NYC mayor TikTok account has begun posting new content. It had been dormant since the ban took effect.