A week or so ago, I received an email titled “Secretary Ardoin Takes Stand Against TikTok.” After quickly opening and reading this message, I believe that these steps are both timely and important. I have watched the unfolding national story with interest as other Secretaries of State, Governors and (now) as division heads of Louisiana’s own state agencies followed Ardoin’s lead in banning the toxic app on all state-owned smartphones and employee devices that connect to state networks.

As a concerned conservative and parent of a teenager, I have observed TikTok become one of the most popular social media networks as a by-product of Covid. In my role as a security professional, I’ve long been aware that the TikTok craze has irreparably impacted the overall data security of the American public.

Most users don’t give a second thought to the volume of voluntary data they provide about their location, buying habits, friends and lifestyle being collected by this highly addictive app. Even fewer users understand that TikTok is partly owned by a Chinese-based tech firm and by extension, the Chinese government. There are almost no protections for the potential amount of biometric and other digital data collected on the app. This data includes the digital signatures of the devices it is installed upon, as well as the name, age, location and network ID of the user.

In what I believe is perhaps the most disturbing and injurious component of this nefarious piece of software, the vocal and facial templates of unsuspecting users.

By championing the ban of TikTok on all state government devices, I believe Ardoin’s actions will further secure our state’s networks and continue to raise awareness of the dangers of communist Chinese data collection masquerading as good clean fun.

Hans Valley
Alexandria, La.