The University will ban all “prohibited technologies,” including apps owned or created by ByteDance Limited, like TikTok, on personal devices used for University business beginning Feb. 27, University Risk and Compliance Services announced in an email Monday. 

The ban is in compliance with UT System Board of Regents policies prohibiting the use of ByteDance-owned apps, such as TikTok, DeepSeek, RedNote and Lemon8, on all government-issued and owned networks and devices. The System implemented the new policies in November 2024 after a 2022 directive from Gov. Greg Abbott required all state agencies to follow the same restrictions. The 88th Legislature also passed Texas Senate Bill 1893 in 2023, upholding Abbott’s order and banning “covered applications,” including ByteDance-owned apps, on all government-owned devices.

The email from University Risk and Compliances states that the policies aim to comply with state directives and increase “awareness of potential security risks and safeguard sensitive state and University data.” This data includes any UT-affiliated communications platforms and information from school-provided email accounts, according to the email. 

“All full- and part-time faculty, staff, contractors, fellows, post-docs, interns and anyone performing business, including research, for the University may not use TikTok or other prohibited technology on personal devices that are also used for university business,” University Risk and Compliance Services said. “This includes student employees who perform any University business on a personal device.”

The email asks staff members to uninstall prohibited technology from devices used for University business or to stop using those devices for work-related actions. The University declined to comment further.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story stated the University will block, as opposed to prohibit the use of ByteDance-owned apps on devices used for University-related operations. This has been corrected. The Texan regrets this error.