Bill Overview
Title: No TikTok on Department of Homeland Security Devices Act
Description: This bill prohibits Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees and contractors from using the TikTok application on DHS computers or other information technology equipment. It also requires DHS to remove the application from DHS equipment. The bill includes exceptions for law enforcement activities, national security interests and activities, and security researchers.
Sponsors: Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals working for or contracting with the Department of Homeland Security worldwide
Estimated Size: 240000
- The bill impacts individuals who work for the Department of Homeland Security as employees or contractors.
- It affects those whose work involves using DHS computers or IT equipment.
- Exceptions are made for DHS personnel involved in law enforcement, national security, and security research, potentially limiting the impacted group.
- TikTok users within DHS are directly affected as they will be unable to use the app on DHS devices.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily affects DHS employees using department devices, which is a small subset of the total personnel since not everyone would use TikTok on a DHS device.
- TikTok's primary usage on government devices is likely minimal, focusing mainly on the younger population who may use it for personal time, thus the impact on wellbeing is expected to be low.
- The exceptions for law enforcement, national security, and security research further limit the policy's impact, primarily affecting those who use TikTok for personal reasons.
- The cost of implementation mainly involves the IT department's time to enforce the policy, with long-term costs being negligible as it's a one-time application removal task.
- With a large number of employees but limited direct usage, the policy is not expected to significantly impact the majority of the workforce's well-being.
Simulated Interviews
IT Specialist (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't use TikTok professionally, so this policy won't change my work or personal life.
- Feels like a reasonable security measure given privacy concerns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Border Patrol Agent (Houston, Texas)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Doesn't think the policy affects his role since fieldwork doesn't involve using such apps on devices.
- Understands security reasoning behind the policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
DHS Contracted Software Engineer (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A bit inconvenient for break time but doesn't impact me professionally.
- Understand the reasoning but won't increase my productivity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
DHS Program Manager (New York, New York)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Strongly supports the policy as it aligns with strategic cybersecurity needs.
- Never used TikTok but worried it could pose risks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Security Researcher (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy doesn't affect me as I use TikTok only for research, allowed by exceptions.
- Understands security implications.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Junior Analyst at DHS (San Diego, California)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Feels a little less connected during breaks since she uses it for entertainment.
- Understands need for security but misses being able to use TikTok freely on breaks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
National Security Analyst (Miami, Florida)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Supports the initiative as a mitigation measure against security vulnerabilities.
- Doesn't see any personal impact as he never used TikTok on work devices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Customs Officer (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is negligible because I rarely use department devices for anything but work.
- Doesn't change her perspective on personal or work life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
IT Support Specialist (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- In favor due to security, but misses casual browsing during downtimes.
- Workload increased slightly due to policy enforcement tasks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
DHS Administrative Officer (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Her day-to-day work is unaffected as TikTok is not part of her workflow.
- Policy is seen as a responsible step towards secured work environment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 2: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 3: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 5: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 10: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 100: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of enforcing the ban and ensuring ongoing compliance across all DHS regions and subsidiaries.
- Management of exceptions for law enforcement, national security, and security research to avoid misuse.
- Potential need for employee training regarding the new restrictions and compliance monitoring.