United States of America: Introduced Act amending Title 71 providing for the prohibition of unauthorised applications (SB 379) including ban on TikTok installation

On 9 February 2023, the Act amending Title 71 providing for the prohibition of unauthorised applications (SB 379) banning TikTok from state-owned networks and devices was introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Act aims to prevent cybersecurity threats by requiring agencies, departments, commissions and all government entities to remove TikTok from state networks, implement measures to prevent the installation of the application, and implement network-based restrictions to prevent the use of, or access to, prohibited services. The legislation was introduced after determining that TikTok presents an unacceptable level of cybersecurity risk to the commonwealth and may be involved in activities such as cyber-espionage, surveillance of government entities, and inappropriate collection of sensitive personal information.