Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced a statewide ban on the use of the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek and the social media apps RedNote (Xiaohongshu) and Lemon8 on all government-issued devices, citing concerns over national security and data privacy.
This decision, revealed earlier this week, makes Texas the first state in the U.S. to impose restrictions on DeepSeek, an emerging AI platform, along with RedNote, a widely used content-sharing app akin to Instagram. The governor’s office expressed worries about potential data collection by these platforms, which are associated with Chinese companies and could threaten government cybersecurity.
“Texas will not permit foreign adversaries to access sensitive information through our government networks,” Governor Abbott declared. “These bans are essential to safeguard our state’s security and prevent unauthorized data collection by entities linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
” This new restriction follows earlier actions against TikTok in December 2022, when Texas banned the app on devices used by state agencies. Similar measures have been adopted in other states and at the federal level due to apprehensions about China’s influence over digital platforms.
State agencies have been directed to promptly remove DeepSeek, RedNote, and Lemon8 from official devices and block access to these apps on government networks. Although no direct evidence of data breaches has been provided, the ban is part of Texas’ ongoing efforts to enhance cybersecurity policies.
The companies affected have yet to respond to the directive from Texas. Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts are debating whether such bans effectively reduce threats or mainly act as political gestures amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China. For the time being, Texas officials are reiterating their commitment to protecting government data, suggesting that further reviews of foreign-linked applications could result in additional bans in the future.
