South Dakota Government Bans TikTok, A CCP Spyware

It is reported on November 29th that the U.S. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed an executive order banning the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) controlled social media platform, TikTok, from state equipment used by state agencies, employees, and contractors.

“South Dakota will have no part in the intelligence gathering operations of nations who hate us,” Noem said, which sets a precedent for the U.S. State government to say “no” to CCP spyware. The announcement came a day after Noem also announced restrictions on foreign land ownership to “thwart CCP expansion.”

Noem’s decision to ban TikTok is reportedly due to a recent Forbes investigation report that came to light. The investigation revealed that videos about child sexual abuse were being shared among TikTok users with impunity. These private accounts evaded the service’s vetting function and resurfaced almost immediately after being deleted. Before this story was published, a FCC commissioner said TikTok should be banned entirely in the U.S. because the promises made by its parent company, ByteDance, in Communist China stated that it would never share user data and the Chinese regime was not to be trusted under any circumstances.

Observers say it is necessary for all of the U.S. to try to stop the CCP’s expansion in the U.S., and Governor Noem has served as a good example. More states are sure to follow. The United States has clearly realised that the social media platforms controlled by the CCP have posed a great threat to the national security of the country.