(WXYZ) — Last week, seven Republicans in Michigan's Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Governor Whitmer calling for her to ban the social media app TikTok. The seven claim that the app is a breach of national security.
If the ban passes Michigan would join a growing list of states who have banned the social media app from government-owned devices.
"I think it is something that obviously we need to be more careful of in general because there is so much information that could be weaponized," Tik Tok user Olivia Reeves said.
TikTok is the place to go for viral videos and dances. The app is more popular than Instagram and Facebook. Governor Whitmer has over 177,000 followers on the popular app and the University of Michigan has more than 2,500.
TikTok user Kayla Brown says it doesn't surprise her that lawmakers are trying to ban it.
"I do feel like that is a threat to security but I personally don't really look into that too much," she said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Michigan's Department of Technology, Management, and Budget said, "the state of Michigan has more than 600 social media accounts on 11 social platforms that reach 7 million users daily. Social media is an important tool for communication if used responsibly."
They go on to say that they try to "evaluate potential threats to the network to ensure that the information entrusted with us is protected and safe."
So far 16 states have banned the app on state devices and that list is expected to grow.
In the letter, Republicans went on to say that the proposal "is not a partisan issue, but one of national security, and indeed the security and privacy of all Michiganders."
According to a recent Pew Research Survey, nearly two-thirds of teenagers use TikTok with 58% reporting that they use the app daily.
