TSA Bans Employees From Using TikTok Over Its Connections To China

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is no longer allowing its employees to use the popular social media app TikTok to create content for the agency, ABC News reports.

The TSA is banning its employees from using TikTok over the app’s connections to China following concerns from lawmakers. Senator Chuck Schumer sent a letter reprimanding the federal agency for its use of the app. The Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security banned the social media application as well.

“The TSA is to be recognized for its work to engage a variety of stakeholders with airline rules and safety, but it also must acknowledge the ironic risk it’s placing its own agency — and potentially the public — in with its continued use of the China-owned TikTok app,” Schumer said in a statement Sunday. “Given the widely reported threats, the already-in-place agency bans, and the existing national security concerns posed by TikTok, the feds cannot continue to allow the TSA’s use of the platform to fly,” he added.

Schumer also called out TSA for uploading TikTok videos on agency accounts amid TikTok being under investigation. The videos consisted of viral “nopes” and “yeps” of carry-on luggage and a “romantic tips” for travelers video, ABC News reports. “These videos sure do make you chuckle; they’re creative,” Schumer said. “But China might be laughing at these TSA postings for very different reasons, and that should concern us, and it’s why I am urging the TSA to find a different platform, and cease its use of TikTok now.” A TSA spokesperson told ABC on Monday that the agency has an “award-winning presence on several social media platforms” but hasn’t posted any content via TikTok.

“A small number of TSA employees have previously used Tik Tok on their personal devices to create videos for use in TSA’s social media outreach, but that practice has been discontinued,” the spokesperson added.