Bill Overview
Title: No TikTok on Government Devices Act
Description: This bill requires the social media video application TikTok to be removed from the information technology of federal agencies. Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to develop standards for executive agencies that require TikTok and any successor application from the developer to be removed from agency information technology (e.g., devices). Such standards must include exceptions for law enforcement activities, national security interests, and security researchers.
Sponsors: Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
Target Audience
Population: Federal employees and contractors with access to government devices
Estimated Size: 5000000
- The bill targets federal agencies, specifically their information technology devices.
- Employees of federal agencies who have TikTok on their work devices will be affected as they will need to delete the app.
- Contractors and third-parties working with federal information systems may also be required to adhere to the same rules.
- Law enforcement, national security personnel, and security researchers are explicitly mentioned as having exceptions, so they might not be affected in the same way.
- Citizens employed outside of federal agencies are not directly impacted.
- Given this is specific to government devices, the broader population using TikTok outside of work-related responsibilities remains unaffected.
Reasoning
- The newly proposed policy is limited in scope to federal agencies and their devices which narrows the target population to those working in or with government agencies.
- The budget allocations suggest the impact is not intended to be extensive across the general population but focused on necessary compliance within these organizations.
- While technically creating operational burdens (e.g., device checks, application removal), the policy's intent is centered on security rather than wellbeing, so self-reported wellbeing impacts are likely peripheral.
- The number of directly affected individuals would be a fraction of the larger federal workforce, taking into account those who actually use TikTok on work devices and aren't covered by exemptions.
- The interviews will reflect a majority of low to no impact on self-reported wellbeing due to the policy's limits and the restricted nature of its application frameworks.
Simulated Interviews
Civil Servant (Washington D.C.)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy won't affect my day-to-day activities because I only use TikTok on my personal phone.
- I understand the security concerns but feel it could be handled with better cybersecurity policies in general.
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 |
Department of Defense Contractor (Arlington, VA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a contractor, removing TikTok from work devices doesn't impact my personal life.
- I have security guidelines to follow and this policy is just another step in that line.
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 |
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't work on federal systems but I think it's prudent to ensure devices are secure.
- This policy is sensible, but not directly relevant to me.
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 |
Federal Agent (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm exempt because the app is part of my research activities.
- This policy will not impact those in my line of work.
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 |
Government IT Specialist (Dallas, TX)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ensuring compliance with this new directive will add to my workload.
- I hope streamlined processes are provided for efficient management.
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 |
Government Administrator (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I understand this as a necessary step, though it doesn't affect my job.
- Security measures are essential, and this is just a small part of a larger strategy.
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 |
Federal Intern (Boston, MA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't mix personal apps with work devices so this policy is easy to follow.
- Security awareness is important in federal spaces.
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 |
Federal Security Officer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We have exemptions for security purposes so this policy won't change our operations.
- Public trust in cyber operations may improve and that is positive.
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 |
Consultant (Chicago, IL)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will help simplify guidance as we advise federal clients on digital security.
- Users should already be separating personal from work device use so this shouldn't be drastic.
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 |
Government Student Intern (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As an intern, I'm not permitted to install apps like TikTok on work devices anyway.
- It seems like a reasonable move for security precautions.
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: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $20000000)
Year 2: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $3000000)
Year 3: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $3000000)
Year 5: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Year 10: $500000 (Low: $250000, High: $1000000)
Year 100: $100000 (Low: $50000, High: $200000)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring adherence to the standards across federal agencies may face logistical challenges given diverse IT systems.
- Exceptional cases (law enforcement, national security) need clear guidelines to prevent misuse.
- The policy might prompt discussions on digital security guidelines for government-related devices.