"TikTok, we're back," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on the app Wednesday morning. His administration is rolling back the city's 2023 prohibition on the app for government use, a move that contrasts with his predecessor's tighter stance over data-security worries tied to Chinese ownership, the New York Times reports. Officials say the shift follows a January deal that left TikTok mostly in the hands of non-Chinese investors. The move comes with strict rules: only designated staffers on dedicated government devices can use TikTok, with accounts controlled by agencies, not individuals.
The change reflects a mayor who built his political brand online and sees social platforms as core to governing, the Times reports. Mamdani's viral campaign clips, many of them focused on affordability, helped power his underdog run to City Hall. His team points to results: after he posted a lifeguard recruitment PSA across multiple platforms, the city's Parks Department reported a 30% jump in completed tryouts. For agencies like Sanitation, whose once-lively TikTok accounts have sat idle since the ban, the new policy clears the way to start posting again.
In a memo to city agencies Tuesday, NYC Cyber Command, which protects against cyber threats, said the move was about reaching out to more New Yorkers, the AP reports. "The Mamdani administration is committed to using every tool in our toolbox to communicate with New Yorkers," NYC Cyber Command wrote. "At a moment when people are turning to city government for information about free services, emergency situations, upcoming events, and more, we want to open up new avenues of communication with the public and help deliver the information New Yorkers need."
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