Clock may be ticking for TicTok on ND campuses

The North Dakota Board of Higher Education stopped short of banning the social media app TikTok – but the issue could pop up for further discussion at a board retreat in May.

Over two dozen states have blocked the China owned platform from state systems over growing national security concerns.

NDUS Vice Chancellor of Information Technology Darin King told board members (Thursday) that TikTok is the preferred social media platform among 18 to 25 year olds.  “We do have the ability to block TikTok from NDUS devices through a number of technologies.  Blocking anything owned by the students would be very difficult.”

Board member Kevin Black says placing restrictions on TikTok is worthy of further conversation.  “We are doing cutting edge research dealing with intellectual property.  I kind of see this fire burning over here.  I don’t know why we would want to hang out with it too long until we get burned.”

Governor Burgum issued an executive order in December banning Tiktok from government issued equipment or those connected to the state’s network.