(1) For the purposes of this section, “TikTok” means the social networking service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance Limited or any successor application.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (7)(b) of this section, no executive branch employee, executive branch agency, or person or entity who contracts with the Commonwealth shall download or use the TikTok application or visit the TikTok website on any:

Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 61.9307

  • Company: may extend and be applied to any corporation, company, person, partnership, joint stock company, or association. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010

(a) Network owned, operated, or otherwise under the control of state government;
or
(b) State government-issued device, including but not limited to:
1. Cellphone;
2. Computer; or
3. Any other device capable of Internet connectivity.
(3) The Commonwealth Office of Technology shall implement controls to prevent the use of TikTok for the executive branch agencies in which it has control over the network, and on any device connected to a network, owned, operated, or otherwise under control of the Commonwealth Office of Technology.
(4) No member of the General Assembly, legislative staff, legislative agency or entity, or person or entity who contracts with the General Assembly, Legislative Research Commission, or legislative branch shall download or use the TikTok application or visit the TikTok website on any:
(a) Network owned, operated, or otherwise under the control of state government;
or
(b) State government-issued device, including but not limited to:
1. Cellphone;
2. Computer; or
3. Any other device capable of Internet connectivity.
(5) The legislative branch of state government shall implement controls to prevent the use of TikTok on any device connected to any network owned, operated, or otherwise under the control of the legislative branch of state government.
(6) The judicial branch of state government may implement controls to prevent the use of TikTok on any device connected to any network owned, operated, or otherwise under the control of judicial branch of state government.
(7) This section shall not apply to any:
(a) Public postsecondary education institution operating under KRS Chapter 164;
or
(b) Executive branch agency that determines that the use of TikTok is necessary for:
1. Law enforcement activities;
2. Civil investigations or civil enforcement activities; or
3. Research on security practices or security threats;
so long as the agency takes appropriate steps to obtain the necessary access without endangering the agency’s network, or any other network owned, operated, or otherwise under the control of state government.
Effective: March 22, 2023
History: Created 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 50, sec. 1, effective March 22, 2023.