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BISMARCK - North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong on Wednesday, Aug. 12, lifted a ban on TikTok for state-owned devices, citing a change in ownership for the social media company.
The TikTok ban for state government devices had been in place since a 2022 executive order from then-Gov. Doug Burgum. The prohibition aimed to safeguard the state's cyber infrastructure and citizen data from the China-based technology company ByteDance, which owned TikTok.
Armstrong's office announced he is rescinding that order because the app has come under the control of a majority-owned, American-led consortium. TikTok announced the U.S. operations joint venture in January, including company ownership stakes and members of its majority-American board of directors. Armstrong's executive order also cites a July U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel opinion that related to federal government employees using TikTok.
Requests to access TikTok on state-owned devices must go through the North Dakota Information Technology's review process, but the department has determined the app "no longer presents an unmitigated or unique cybersecurity threat to state operations," according to Armstrong's office.
Separately, the North Dakota University System has its own policy that blocks TikTok from being accessed from public college and university networks or devices. Students, staff and faculty are able to access the app through personal devices not connected to a college or university network.
Armstrong's order will not affect the TikTok policy for state colleges and universities.
The State Board of Higher Education could consider changes to the policy at a future meeting, said Billie Jo Lorius, a spokesperson for the North Dakota University System.