Following the signing of five new executive orders by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Sunday night, TikTok is now prohibited on all state-owned or leased devices.
Just moments after taking the formal oath of office for his second term, Governor Mike DeWine issued five executive orders.
On state-owned or leased devices, one directive, executive order 2023-03D, forbids the use of TikTok or other platforms and applications held by an entity located in China.
The order notes that DeWine implemented the prohibition in response to the apps participating in “surreptitious data privacy and cybersecurity practices to include collecting personal information, behavioral use data, biometric data, and other data contained on the devices of its users.”
Additionally, the directive claims that the Chinese Communist Party employs the apps as an “intelligence gathering mechanism.”
According to internet performance and security company Cloudflare, TikTok is the second-most popular web domain in the world, only being surpassed by Google in terms of size. When it comes to news issues, the site has come under fire for not policing misinformation, with TikTok automatically suggesting roughly one in five videos that include inaccuracy.
Both the Biden administration and Congress have promoted similar prohibitions to Ohio’s.
DeWine also signed executive order 2023-01D which adds to the state’s anti discrimination policy that no person employed by any State Cabinet agency or by a State board or commission shall discriminate against any other State employee or candidate for State employment under the basis of “status of a nursing mother.”
The prior policy already forbade discrimination on the basis of things like race, color, origin, gender, gender identity, and more.
The final three executive orders continued DeWine’s emphasis on providing opportunities and education for Ohioans to pursue careers in industries that require workers, established a youth mentoring program for state employees, and established the Ohio Mental Health Insurance Office within the Ohio Department of Insurance.
DeWine signed executive order 2023-05D that would address crucial education and training requirements to enable ongoing economic development in Ohio by a competent workforce.
In order to increase opportunities for Ohioans to pursue “certificates, credentials, and degrees that will lead to critically needed in-demand jobs,” DeWine has instructed the Ohio Department of Education, Higher Education, Job and Family Services, and the Office of Workforce Transformation to conduct an asset mapping analysis of current programs in Ohio institutions of higher education and technical centers, analyze funding, and produce recommendations.
To encourage mentor-ship among state personnel, DeWine signed executive order 2023-02D which states Ohio is home to nearly 2.6 million children. The state also has nearly 50,000 employees.
According to the new order, the head of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services must create a policy that grants exempt employees at least one hour of paid leave every pay period or 26 hours per year to engage in authorized mentor-ship activities.
It also states, “state agencies, boards, and commissions shall encourage employees to serve as mentors to Ohio youth in need.”
Executive order 2023-04D prioritizes health and wellness by directing the Ohio Department of Insurance to establish the Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office.
Additionally, DeWine instructed the Ohio Department of Insurance to “work collaboratively with employers, insurers, healthcare providers, and patient advocacy organizations to develop best practice standards for providing mental health and addiction insurance benefits.”
DeWine’s ceremonial swearing-in for his second term was at noon on Monday.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Mike DeWine. Background Photo “TikTok” by Anton.
