TRENTON, N.J. – A proposed New Jersey Senate bill would prohibit state employees and contractors from downloading or using TikTok on any state-issued electronic device, citing national security risks linked to the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Senate Bill 510, sponsored by Senator James W. Holzapfel of Monmouth and Ocean counties and co-sponsored by Senator Anthony M. Bucco, would make it illegal for any state agency, officer, or employee to access TikTok or its website on state-owned or leased devices—including phones, computers, and tablets. Contractors working with the state would be subject to the same restrictions.
Anyone who willfully violates the measure could face a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both. The bill includes an exemption for law enforcement officers engaged in investigative work, with the Attorney General tasked with establishing guidelines for those authorized uses.
The legislation follows warnings from federal officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, who told Congress in 2022 that TikTok poses a national security threat due to the app’s capacity to collect vast amounts of user data that could be accessed by the Chinese government under Chinese law.
Holzapfel said the bill is designed to protect New Jersey’s state networks and employees from potential data collection and foreign influence risks associated with the app.
If enacted, the ban would take effect immediately.
A New Jersey Senate bill would bar state employees and contractors from using TikTok on state-issued devices, citing data privacy and national security concerns.