Students can no longer access TikTok on university Wi-Fi after 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 blocked the social media platform in early August.
The decision was due to "ongoing security concerns on a state, federal and international level," according to an announcement in 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 Today, a university newsletter. While students will only be able to access TikTok on personal devices, exemptions will be provided for research and educational purposes.
Guidance for these exemption requests is coming soon, according to university spokesperson Jeff Stensland, but the university said it has no comment on the ban itself.
In March, the university said there were no plans to ban TikTok after Gov. Henry McMaster called for a state-wide ban on the Chinese-owned social media app in a letter dated Dec. 5, 2022.
Gov. McMaster moved to block TikTok on all government-issued devices amid national scrutiny over TikTok's cybersecurity.
鈥淧rotecting our State鈥檚 critical cyber infrastructure from foreign and domestic threats is key to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of our citizens and businesses,鈥� Gov. McMaster said in to Marcia Adams, the executive director for South Carolina's Department of Administration.
麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 joins 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 Upstate, Clemson, Auburn University, the University System of Georgia and other large American universities in blocking TikTok access. Many universities were similarly ordered to ban TikTok access by their respective governors.
However, 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 has its own TikTok account, posting as recently as Aug. 23, 2023.
One 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 student said she's "heartbroken" about the ban.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just social media,鈥� first-year nursing student McKenzie Dreher said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 causing problems to any students on campus.鈥�
For the foreseeable future, 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 students, faculty and staff will have to get their TikTok fix through other networks such as their own data services.