TikTok has changed the landscape of social media for the worse. The massive number of users on the platform have provided the Chinese company Bytedance with a surplus of personal data that they can sell to whomever they please. Due to this, Governor Greg Abbott has decided to ban TikTok on all government-owned computers, cell phones and networks in hopes of increasing security on state networks.

While Abbott has made many questionable decisions during his time as Governor of Texas, this decision is the right one. The security of the state’s data is worth more than college students being able to watch the latest dance trend. Without restrictions, potentially sensitive information can be directly viewed by the Communist Party of China (CCP). In a quote from Governor Abbott, “the company [TikTok] admitted in a letter to Congress that China-based employees can have access to U.S. data.” This is a good example of how easily the Chinese government could gain access to the data of U.S. citizens.

Protecting the personal data of both students and faculty from being used by the CCP should be praised. Now that all state schools in Texas have to restrict TikTok, it is clear that this ban should be a nationwide policy. Many Texans think Abbott should be focusing on more pressing problems, like abortion, gun control or the power grid. While those are good points, preventing “a trove of potentially sensitive information” from falling into the hands of the CCP is crucial to national security. 

Increasing the online safety of networks should be near the top of any government’s priority list because if citizens’ data can be harvested by foreign entities, there could be serious consequences. So instead of complaining about how Abbott ruined your favorite pastime in lectures, be thankful China is not looking at all of your personal data.

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