The gist: On July 11, League City City Council voted 6-2 to adopt a policy prohibiting the installation or use of TikTok on any device owned or leased by the city. The resolution was proposed in accordance with a new state law that bans the application on government devices over concerns it gives TikTok access to sensitive data, council members said.
Originally, the city’s resolution also called for “prohibiting the employee use of [TikTok] for city-related business.” However, council members agreed to amend the resolution to remove this language so city employees can continue using TikTok on their personal devices to promote things such as the Helen Hall Library.
When council members expressed concern that accessing TikTok while connected to the city’s networks could pose a security risk, an official said access to TikTok is already blocked on the city’s network.
What they’re saying: Council Member John Bowen said he is pro-free speech but voted in favor of the resolution because it’s a state law by which the city must abide.
“This is a state law,” he said. “We are just recognizing it with a resolution.”
Council Member Tom Crews said the city’s originally proposed motion goes beyond what the state law calls for. He suggested the idea of allow city employees to use TikTok on personal devices before Council Member Chad Tressler officially made a motion to amend the resolution as such.
“I think our [resolution] goes beyond [state law],” Crews said of the original resolution.
