KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Gov. Bill Lee has signed a bill that bans students from accessing TikTok, along with other platforms operated by Chinese companies, on public college campuses Wi-Fi.
The bill, SB 0834, prohibits a "public postsecondary institution that provides internet access, through a hard-wired or wireless network connection, to students, faculty, staff, or the general public from allowing an individual to access a social media platform using the institution's network if the platform is operated or hosted by a company based in the People's Republic of China."
SB 0834 was introduced by Sen. Jon Lundberg (R - Bristol) in January and was sent to the governor in early April. The House voted in 80 'Ayes' and 11 'Nays'.
This new law means that students, faculty, staff and members of the general public will be blocked while using a university’s Wi-Fi if they attempt to use TikTok or other social media platforms that include:
- Sina
- Tencent QQ
- Tencent Video
- Xiao HongShu
- Douban
- Zhihu
- Meituan
- Toutiao
Students and teachers at The University of Tennessee can't use school wifi to log onto the social media site. The school announced the immediate change on Friday. This affects people like Michael Galyean, whose career as a dancer took off on TikTok.
He got national attention when he surprised Vols fans with his dance moves at Neyland Stadium.
He describes this law as a double-edged sword.
"I understand the concern, and I appreciate them attempting to protect us in that way," he said. "However, social media is a great outlet, especially for a student and it's maybe missing home, whether that's out of state or out of the country."
He said TikTok and social media had led him to establish an online community.
"I've had pretty good success with social media lately," Gaylean said. "And in a way, you can build a community, create these connections, find your tribe, learn a new hobby, learn how to dance, all those things. So it is upsetting."
However, the law does not ban students from accessing TikTok or other Chinese social media platforms through an individual’s own personal network connection, a data connection or a third-party network.
TikTok has come under fire in the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific, where a growing number of governments have banned the app from devices used for official business over worries it poses risks to cybersecurity and data privacy or could be used to push pro-Beijing narratives and misinformation.
Before the bill was signed, East Tennessee State University blocked TikTok from its Wi-Fi systems and wired networks.