Report: TikTok banned on state of Michigan devices — except for Whitmer

MLive reports that the state of Michigan, without any announcement or fanfare, banned TikTok on state devices March 1. With one exception: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals can use TikTok for their work duties, MLive reports.

Read it for yourself: MLive: Michigan blocks TikTok from state devices, exempts Whitmer’s account

Whitmer can continue using TikTok to build her personal brand, MLive reports. The governor’s TikTok account, @BigGretchWhitmer, has 195,000 followers.

“It’s a state of Michigan device, but it follows the guidelines that are in place for the exceptions,” Whitmer spokesman Bobby Leddy told MLive. “And the exceptions are for any department that that feels that they need it for their job to convey with the public, or for investigative purposes.”

Citing Leddy, MLive adds: “No other state department has asked for the communication exemption that Whitmer’s office has.”

In January, Sen. Lana Theis submitted Senate Bill 15, which would ban TikTok on state devices by law, not just policy.

SB 15 was referred to the Michigan House Labor Committee and has not been taken up since.