Dear Marylanders,
Earlier this week, I announced an emergency cybersecurity directive to prohibit the use of TikTok—and other Chinese and Russian-influenced platforms—in Maryland state government.
This directive applies only to government devices and platforms, but it deals with some very serious and grave cyber threats we all face. The director of the FBI has stated that “the Chinese government has shown a willingness to steal Americans’ data on a scale that dwarfs any other.” The information collected on these apps through cyber espionage could be used to target families with misinformation campaigns, or to gain access to critical systems.
I talked about this TikTok directive on CNBC and Fox News:
Other states are already following our lead to curtail the use of TikTok, and I expect more to do so in the coming weeks. There are also always things you and your family can do to prevent unauthorized access to your devices.
We will continue to keep Marylanders updated with important information about our cybersecurity actions.
Thank you,
