In December 2019, the U.S. Navy and Army banned TikTok from official devices, and in December last year, the Biden administration expanded the ban to apply to all government devices. But no such ban applies to TikTok on personal devices, even though the military does discourage it for recruiting.
The app has already been banned for three years on U.S. government devices used by the Army, the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the Coast Guard. But the bans typically don't extend to personal devices. And students often just switch to cellular data to use the app.
While cadets can still use the app for their own personal use, the guidance would prohibit them posting TikToks for recruitment, while in uniform or performing official duties.
Military TikTok (also known as “MilTok”) is a specific genre of TikTok videos, largely from those who are serving in the military, Veterans, and military spouses.
But the wildly popular platform, developed with homegrown Chinese technology, isn't accessible in China.
In Japan, the use of TikTok and other social networking services (SNSs) are prohibited on government devices that handle confidential information. Nakayama said further restrictions should be considered only after looking into their data-handling and other operations.
These bans have generally been justified with national security concerns, due to TikTok's ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance. As of April 2023, the app has been banned for use by federal employees and banned for use by state employees in 34 (out of 50) states.
Can Military Personnel Have Social Media? Yes, military personnel are still allowed to own both official social media accounts and personal social media accounts.
The three Army general orders cover what your duties are on a day to day basis. You must maintain your assigned duties, quitting only when properly relieved, and performing everything in a military manner that would make your leadership proud.
What Is Military Time? Military time is a 24-hour clock designed to avoid confusion between daytime and nighttime hours, since the armed forces are in operation around the clock.
Nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content are not allowed on our platform. Any content that depicts or supports non-consensual sexual acts, the sharing of non-consensual intimate imagery, and adult sexual solicitation are strictly prohibited.
You should only post original content on TikTok. If you intend to use content that belongs to somebody else, it's advisable for you to obtain their permission beforehand. Under certain circumstances, you may be allowed to use another party's copyrighted content without their permission.
On TikTok, you can choose whether to have a private account or a public account.
The app could lose functionality over time. “If there's a ban, there would definitely be no more updates and software enhancements, and over time, it becomes harder to use those apps,” West said.
Although, TikTok does allow commentary, parody, or fan accounts as long as the user clearly indicates in their bio that they are in no way affiliated or associated with the main subject of their account.
Mobile phones are allowed in basic training, but can only be used at authorized times. In fact, according to Air Force policy, you are encouraged to bring your cell phone and charger with you.
Treat others as you would have them treat you.… This is a simple restatement of the Golden Rule—but it is a critical issue. Every soldier must feel he is being treated fairly and that you care and are making an honest attempt to ensure he or she reaches full potential.
The first principle of any defense acquisition must be the welfare of the warfighter, more than the program's future, although it isn't always so.
Treat people right: The golden rule applies. Treat others as you want to be treated. Respect goes up, down and across the chain of command. Your success as an officer will be based on how you treat your people.
When using Facebook and other social media platforms, do not post personally identifiable information and any information that can damage Army operations. Think about what you're posting before hitting share. Many times, you can avoid releasing sensitive information by simply rephrasing your social media post.
Service members who went through Basic Training said the Navy allowed 1-2 phone calls per month. Army recruits are allowed to call every 3 weeks when they phase up, and then every weekend once they complete Basic and begin AIT.
Is TikTok safe? It's as safe as just about any other social media platform. It doesn't infect your phone with malware, but it comes with some safety risks like scams and saved user data.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew got his start in tech at Facebook—now his app is its biggest competitor. Prior to running the most popular social media app in the world, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was an intern for one of his largest competitors.
Zhang Yiming is the main founder of Chinese tech giant ByteDance, best known for its insanely popular app TikTok, which has more than 1 billion users worldwide. Zhang stepped down as chairman of ByteDance in November 2021 after resigning as CEO in May that year, reportedly under pressure from the Chinese government.