The University of Arkansas System has followed several other institutions of higher learning -- both in the state and nationally -- and announced a ban on TikTok.
On Monday, UA System President Donald Bobbitt issued the following directive regarding TikTok system-wide: TikTok may no longer be installed or used on any university-issued technology device, including all computers, tablets and smartphones, and TikTok is to be blocked from use on all campus, division, and unit internet networks.
"Since the topic arose, there was a lot of internal discussion about TikTok with IT, IT Security, government relations, and communications and marketing colleagues within the UA System. We wanted to ensure we were in compliance with government officials, while also learning about how TikTok was being used internally for recruiting and public relations purposes and what effect a ban might have as a whole," said Nate Hinkel, director of communications for the UA System.
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020, and critics say the Chinese government could access user data like browsing history and location. The U.S. armed forces have prohibited the app on military devices.
TikTok is immensely popular among youth, with the Associated Press estimating it's used by two-thirds of American teens and has become the second-most popular domain in the world.
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro has already taken action, joining the University of Texas and campuses in Oklahoma, Alabama and Georgia in restricting access to TikTok on university Wi-Fi. Arkansas Tech University in Russellville released a statement to their students, faculty and staff on Jan. 4 noting the suspension of the app on the university network.
At least 22 other states, including Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin have instituted bans on the use of TikTok on government devices. Last month, Congress banned TikTok from most U.S. government-issued devices over bipartisan concerns about security.
Information for this article was contributed by Paige Eichkorn of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.