Recently the United States Navy prohibited the social media application TikTok from officially sanctioned cell phones, saying the mainstream short video application represented a "cybersecurity risk."
An announcement issued by the Navy on Tuesday showed up on a Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) page serving military members, saying users of government provided cell phones who had TikTok and didn't expel the application would be hindered from the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.
The Navy would not describe in detail what dangers the application presents, yet Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland said in a statement the request was a piece of a push to "address existing and developing threats".
TikTok didn't restore a request for input.
TikTok is colossally well known with U.S. teenagers, however has gone under scrutiny from U.S. regulators and lawmakers as of late. The U.S. government has opened a national security survey of the application's proprietor Beijing ByteDance Technology Co's $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media application Musical.ly, Reuters first detailed last month.
Last month, U.S armed force cadets were instructed not to use TikTok, after Senator Chuck Schumer raised security concerns about the military using TikTok in their selecting.
A Navy spokesman said Naval and Marine personnel who use government provided smart devices are for the most part permitted to use mainstream business apps, including regular social media apps, yet every once in a while specific programs that present security threats are restricted. He would not give examples of apps that are permitted or those considered unsafe.
The Pentagon's Orland said the "Digital Awareness Message" sent Dec. 16 "identifies the potential risk associated with using the TikTok application and directs suitable move for employees to make so as to safeguard their personal data."