Some computer and cell phone users are prohibited from using TikTok on campus.
FLINT, Mich. (WJRT) – Mott Community College in Flint is banning the TikTok app for some users on campus.
Last month, the college blocked TikTok on its faculty, staff and student logins. Cheryl Shelton, who is Mott’s chief technology officer, said that’s where the school’s primary resources are located.
Shelton is aware of the overall safety concerns tied to TikTok’s Chinese ownership. She believes it’s her responsibility to protect its network and users from possible bad actors.
“Between the internet and our file services, we have a devices called the firewall and the firewall has software where we can specify things to let in or to block or to route in certain ways,” Shelton said. “The software on the firewall itself is very powerful.”
TikTok remains available on the college’s guest network, so visitors on campus can continue using the app. The guest network is separate from the main network holding Mott Community College’s critical data.
Montana became the first state to entirely ban TikTok within its borders this week.
Michigan joined a small number of Democrat-controlled states to block TikTok from state-owned devices on March 1. The app had been in “monitored mode” since March 2020.
That means users could access it on state devices, but had to click through a security warning that discouraged usage.
There are exceptions for law enforcement, cybersecurity and for promotional purposes. The ban includes Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s account on government devices.
