Committee Approves Sen. Dodd’s High-Risk App Ban for State Devices

SACRAMENTO – Legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would bolster information security in the face of unprecedented attacks on government devices by banning the downloading and installation of all high-risk social media applications such as TikTok on state-owned or issued equipment including cell phones, in part mirroring a federal ban.

 “Clearly, there are bad actors out there, and we can’t afford to let them in,” Sen. Dodd said. “Prohibiting these apps on state phones and other devices is a commonsense way to prevent exposure of our sensitive material and possible data breaches.”

Sen. Dodd’s proposal, Senate Bill 74, comes amid worldwide concern over cybersecurity threats posed by high-risk apps. Last fall, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned TikTok could be used for espionage by a non-democratic government. In response, nearly two dozen states have instituted limits for use of these apps on government-controlled devices. President Joe Biden has since approved a limited TikTok ban on federal devices, and the U.S. House of Representatives banned it on all of its devices. Previously, the U.S. military prohibited its members from using TikTok on government cell phones and computers.

Closer to home, the California Office of Emergency Services recently announced the state’s cybersecurity integration center was responding to an incident in the state Department of Finance. Technology news outlets reported a global ransomware group was behind the intrusion and claims to have stolen 76 gigabytes of data.

SB 74 seeks to prevent additional security breaches through the use of high-risk apps. The bill, co-authored by a contingent of a dozen Democratic and Republican senators, was approved in the Senate Governmental Organization committee with overwhelming, bipartisan support.

 “We need to listen to security advisors throughout the world who are warning us that these types of applications are not safe,” said joint co-author Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego. “While individual consumers can make their own informed decisions, we cannot let these dangerous applications to be downloaded onto government issued devices, opening government accounts up to potential security threats.”

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Senator Bill Dodd represents California’s 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento, and Contra Costa counties. You can learn more about Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.