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Item No. 10 <br />TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Council <br />Robert G. Vine, Interim City Manager <br />FROM: Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney <br />SUBJECT: Adoption of policy banning TikTok and related social media applications from City <br />owned or leased electronic devices <br />DATE: December 9, 2024 <br />BACKGROUND: On December 7, 2022, Governor Greg Abbott required all state agencies to <br />ban the video -sharing application TikTok from all state-owned and state -issued devices and <br />networks over the Chinese Communist Party's ability to use the application for surveilling Texans. <br />Governor Abbott also directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas <br />Department of Information Resources (DIR) to develop a plan providing state agencies guidance <br />on managing personal devices used to conduct state business. Following the issuance of the <br />Governor's directive, the 88"' Texas Legislature passed �...__ e �_ , , which prohibits the use <br />of covered applications on governmental entity devices, including devices owned or leased by <br />municipalities. The statute provides exceptions for use in law enforcement operations and <br />investigations and for developing or implement information security measures. <br />STATUS OF ISSUE: The city's personnel manual contains Sec. 15.15 regarding social media <br />usage. The draft policy attached to the attached resolution would, if approved, be placed in this <br />section. The draft policy conforms with the statute and was drafted with assistance of a state -issued <br />model policy. As noted, the city is required by law to adopt this policy. <br />BUDGET: No impact. <br />RECOMMENDATION: Move to approve a resolution adopting the addition to the city's social <br />media policy banning the installation and use, with the cited exceptions, of TikTok and related <br />social media applications on city owned or leased electronic devices. <br />