AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday issued a ban on six more Chinese artificial intelligence and social media apps on government-issued devices. TikTok was already banned back in 2022.
Editor’s note: The video in this article is from a report when Abbott banned TikTok on government devices in 2022.
These are the six AI and social media apps that were added to the state’s prohibited technologies list:
- DeepSeek
- RedNote
- Webull
- Tiger Brokers
- Moomoo
- Lemon8
“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps,” Abbott said.
State employees and contractors can’t download or use the apps on the state’s prohibited technologies list on state-owned or personal devices used for work.
“I ordered Texas state agencies to ban Chinese government-based AI and social media apps from all state-issued devices. State agencies and employees responsible for handling critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information must be protected from malicious espionage operations by the Chinese Communist Party. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors,” Abbott said.
In 2022, Abbott issued a similar order that banned the use of TikTok on any government-issued devices.
RELATED: Gov. Greg Abbott directs state agencies to ban TikTok on government devices
Two months ago, also in an apparent attempt to “protect Texans from the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and the CCP (Chinese Communist Party),” Abbott issued these directives:
- Directing all state agencies and public institutions of higher education to harden state systems and safeguard critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information from being accessed
- Directing DPS to target and arrest any criminals executing CCP influence operations like “Operation Fox Hunt” to forcibly return dissidents to China
- Directing the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Public Utility Commission of Texas to prepare for potential threats against Texas’ critical infrastructure
- Directing Texas state agencies to fully divest from China