Apps Banned on Government Devices: Federal and State List
TikTok, DeepSeek and a handful of other apps have been restricted on official phones in the United States and abroad. Several of those rules changed in 2026. Here is what applies, where, since when, and how IT teams enforce it.
Facts checked October 2026. Rules change: check the current list.TikTok, US federal devices
OMB rescinded the removal guidance in August 2026.
TikTok, US states
Many state bans remain; at least one state lifted its ban in 2026.
DeepSeek
Restricted for government use in many states and countries since 2025.
Kaspersky
Barred from federal systems since 2018, with US sales banned from 2024.
Is TikTok still banned on government devices?
This is the question most people arrive with, and the answer changed recently. For US federal agencies, the blanket ban no longer applies.
TikTok's US business moved to TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC on 22 January 2026, majority owned by US and other investors with ByteDance keeping 19.9%. In July 2026 a Justice Department legal opinion concluded that this app is no longer a "covered application" under the 2022 Act.
On 10 August 2026, OMB memo M-26-17 rescinded the 2023 removal guidance (M-23-13). Federal executive branch devices may now run TikTok, subject to each agency's own security policy.
Congress, states, universities and other countries set their own rules. A state employee, for example, may still be covered by a state ban.
Lifting a ban is not the same as requiring the app. Many security teams keep TikTok off managed devices that do not need it. For the blocking steps, see how to block TikTok on managed devices.
Timeline of government app bans
Key dates for the apps most often restricted on official devices, from the first federal software ban to the 2026 reversals.
- Sep 2017Kaspersky, US. Homeland Security directive BOD 17-01 tells agencies to find and remove Kaspersky products.
- Oct 2018Kaspersky, US. Section 1634 of the FY2018 defense authorization act bars federal use from 1 October 2018.
- Jun 2020India. 59 apps blocked nationwide, including TikTok, SHAREit and UC Browser. In the US, Florida and Nebraska are among the first states to restrict TikTok, in 2020.
- Dec 2022US Congress. The No TikTok on Government Devices Act passes in the year-end funding law. Dozens of states act in the same months.
- Feb 2023EU and Canada. European Commission bans TikTok on staff devices (23 Feb). Canada removes it from government mobile devices (28 Feb). OMB issues M-23-13 (27 Feb).
- Mar 2023UK, New Zealand, France. UK government devices (16 Mar), New Zealand parliament devices (17 Mar), French civil servants' work phones (24 Mar).
- Apr 2023Australia. TikTok banned on federal government devices (4 Apr) under a protective security direction.
- Apr 2024US. A federal divest-or-ban law for TikTok is enacted, separate from the device rule.
- Sep 2024Kaspersky, US. Commerce Department ban on Kaspersky sales in the US takes full effect.
- Jan 2025DeepSeek. Italy's data protection authority blocks it. Texas bans DeepSeek, RedNote, Lemon8 and three trading apps on state devices.
- Feb 2025DeepSeek. Australia (4 Feb), Taiwan, South Korean ministries and the Netherlands restrict it for government use.
- Jul 2025Czech Republic. DeepSeek banned across public administration (9 Jul).
- Dec 2025Belgium and US defense. Belgian federal staff must remove DeepSeek by 1 Dec. Congress passes the FY2026 defense authorization act, which bars the Pentagon from using DeepSeek.
- 2026TikTok rules relax. US joint venture closes (22 Jan). Montana and TikTok agree its 2023 statewide ban is void (Feb). OMB rescinds federal guidance and North Dakota lifts its state ban (Aug).
Banned apps on government devices list
These are the apps named in the bans on this page, with the identifiers an MDM needs. Where an app is not in our verified ID set, use the bundle ID lookup to find it.
| App | Developer | iOS bundle ID | Android package | Restricted by (examples) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | TikTok Ltd. | com.zhiliaoapp.musically | com.zhiliaoapp.musically | Many US states, Canada, UK, EU Commission, Australia; US federal rule lifted 2026 |
| TikTok Lite | TikTok Ltd. | com.ss.iphone.ugc.tiktok.lite | com.zhiliaoapp.musically.go | Covered where a ban names TikTok and its variants |
| Lemon8 | TikTok Ltd. | com.bd.nproject | com.bd.nproject | Texas state devices (2025) |
| DeepSeek | 杭州深度求索人工智能基础技术研究有限公司 | com.deepseek.chat | com.deepseek.chat | Australia, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Belgium, US states, US Department of Defense |
| rednote (Xiaohongshu) | Xingin | com.xingin.discover | check lookup | Texas state devices (2025) |
| Webull | Webull Technologies Pte. Ltd. | com.webull.trade | check lookup | Texas state devices (2025) |
| moomoo | Moomoo Technologies Inc. | com.moomoo.mm | check lookup | Texas state devices (2025) |
| Tiger Brokers | Tiger Brokers | use lookup | use lookup | Texas state devices (2025) |
| SHAREit | SHAREit Technologies Co. Ltd | com.lenovo.anyshare | check lookup | India nationwide block (2020) |
| UC Browser | UCWeb | use lookup | use lookup | India nationwide block (2020) |
| Free Fire | GARENA INTERNATIONAL I PRIVATE LIMITED | com.dts.freefireth | com.dts.freefireth | India nationwide block (2022); check current status |
| Kaspersky apps | Kaspersky | use lookup | use lookup | US federal systems (2018), US sales ban (2024) |
The last column shows who announced a restriction. Some of these rules have since changed, so check the current status.
Bans often name an app "and its successors" or every app from one developer. Look-alike apps and regional versions keep appearing, so our Chinese apps list and banned apps list group them by developer and category.
Federal rules in the United States
There is no single federal list. Restrictions come from laws, OMB memos, Homeland Security directives and each agency's own policy, so it helps to know which instrument says what.
| Rule | What it does | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| No TikTok on Government Devices Act (Dec 2022) | Passed by Congress to require removal of TikTok from executive agency devices, with exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research. | Still law, but OMB and the Justice Department now treat the joint venture app as outside its scope |
| OMB M-23-13 (Feb 2023) | Gave agencies 30 days to remove TikTok, block new installs and block network traffic to it, and 90 days to clear it from contract requirements. | Rescinded by M-26-17 in August 2026 |
| Divest-or-ban law (Apr 2024) | Required TikTok's US business to separate from ByteDance or leave US app stores. | Led to the January 2026 joint venture |
| FY2026 defense authorization act, Section 1532 | Bars the Department of Defense and its contractors from using AI from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, naming DeepSeek and High-Flyer, with waivers for research and national security work. | Enacted as Public Law 119-60 |
| No Adversarial AI Act (H.R.4142, S.2177) | Would restrict federal agencies' use of AI from foreign adversaries. | Introduced June 2025; check its current status |
| BOD 17-01 and FY2018 Section 1634 | Removal and ban of Kaspersky products on federal systems. | In force |
DeepSeek at federal bodies
In 2025 Pentagon networks, the Navy, the Commerce Department and House offices restricted DeepSeek before any law required it.
Agency level decisionsCongress
The House blocked TikTok on House devices in December 2022. Congress sets its own device rules, separate from OMB.
Check House and Senate policyCompliance gaps
A November 2024 inspector general report found the IRS was not fully compliant and recommended removing TikTok from 23 devices that were not managed. Unmanaged devices were the weak point.
Lesson: enroll everythingState bans: TikTok, DeepSeek and more
By early 2023 more than half of US states had restricted TikTok on state devices or networks. In 2025 a new wave targeted DeepSeek and other Chinese-linked apps. States are now reviewing those rules one by one.
| State | What was restricted | When | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | TikTok; later DeepSeek, RedNote, Lemon8, Webull, Tiger Brokers, Moomoo | Dec 2022; Jan 2025 | TikTok rule made permanent by state law (SB 1893) |
| Florida and Nebraska | TikTok on state devices | 2020 | Among the earliest state actions |
| Wisconsin, North Carolina | TikTok on state devices | Jan 2023 | First Democratic governors to act |
| New Jersey, Ohio, Arkansas, Mississippi | TikTok on state devices | Early 2023 | Part of the 2023 wave |
| New York, Virginia, Iowa, Tennessee and others | DeepSeek on state devices or networks | 2025 | Lists differ by source; check each state's notice |
| North Dakota | TikTok on state devices | Lifted Aug 2026 | Agencies may request access through state IT review |
| Montana | Statewide TikTok ban for everyone (SB 419) | 2023 | Never took effect; in February 2026 the state and TikTok agreed it was void |
State rules usually cover executive agencies. Universities, school districts and local government often have separate policies, so a ban in the state capital may not reach a county office or campus.
Other countries: TikTok and DeepSeek bans
Outside the US, most rules target official devices only. Two exceptions are India, which blocked apps nationwide, and Italy, where the privacy regulator stopped DeepSeek for everyone.
Canada
TikTok removed from government-issued mobile devices on 28 February 2023, and future downloads blocked. Officials said no government data had been compromised.
Federal devicesEuropean Commission
Staff told on 23 February 2023 to remove TikTok from work devices and from personal phones with official apps, by 15 March.
Includes some personal phonesUnited Kingdom
TikTok banned on government devices with immediate effect on 16 March 2023. Personal devices were not covered.
Government devicesNew Zealand and France
New Zealand barred TikTok on parliament devices from March 2023. France banned "recreational" apps, including games and streaming, on civil servants' work phones.
March 2023Australia
TikTok banned on federal government devices on 4 April 2023, with case-by-case exemptions. DeepSeek followed on 4 February 2025 by mandatory direction.
Federal devicesTaiwan and South Korea
In February 2025 Taiwan told government departments not to use DeepSeek, and several South Korean ministries and the police blocked access.
Government useItaly
The data protection authority ordered DeepSeek to stop processing Italian users' data in January 2025, and the app left Italian app stores.
NationwideNetherlands, Czech Republic, Belgium
DeepSeek barred for government staff in the Netherlands (February 2025), across Czech public administration (July 2025) and in Belgian federal services (December 2025).
Government useIndia
59 apps blocked in June 2020 under Section 69A of the IT Act, then 118 more in September 2020, 43 in November 2020 and 54 in February 2022, including Free Fire.
NationwideApps that share data with the Chinese government?
People often search for a list of apps that share data with China. No public list proves that. The bans above are precautionary, based on who owns an app, where data is stored and which laws apply.
No. TikTok was built by ByteDance, a privately held company founded in Beijing. Since January 2026 the US app is run by a joint venture majority owned by US and other investors, with ByteDance at 19.9%.
Outside the US, TikTok remains part of ByteDance's group.
Canada pointed to the legal regime governing data collected from phones. Czech authorities said DeepSeek data sat on servers in China. Belgium cited data protection risks after a cybersecurity review.
Many governments point to Chinese security laws, such as the 2017 National Intelligence Law, which require organizations to cooperate with state intelligence work if asked.
An app's developer, its store privacy details and its own privacy policy. Our guide to apps that collect or share data shows how to read them.
MDM for iPads and phones in government: enforcing a ban
The 2023 OMB memo is still a useful model even after its rescission: remove the app, stop reinstalls, block the network path and document exceptions. MDM covers the first three on every enrolled device.
- Enroll every deviceSupervise iPhones and iPads through Apple Business Manager, and enroll Android as fully managed where possible. Unmanaged devices are where bans fail.
- Find existing installsRun your MDM's app inventory report for each banned bundle ID and package name before you deploy.
- Block and removeAdd the IDs to a restricted apps list. On supervised iOS devices blocked apps cannot open; on fully managed Android, approve only allowed apps.
- Stop sideloadingBlock installs from unknown sources on Android and manual profile installs on iOS, so copies cannot come back another way.
- Block the network pathPair the app block with DNS or firewall rules on government networks, as the 2023 guidance required.
- Log exceptionsLaw enforcement and security research exceptions belong in a separate device group with its own profile and written approval.
Personal phones are different. With a work profile or user enrollment you control only managed apps, so personal app rules belong in policy. See our BYOD app policy guide and the Apple Business Manager apps page for enrollment.
Banned apps on government Android devices
Android adds a few gaps that iPhone does not have. Close these before you report compliance.
Lite and regional apps
TikTok Lite has its own package name. Block every variant your rule names, not only the main app.
APK files
Apps installed from a downloaded file never pass through Google Play. Turn off unknown sources on managed devices.
Work profile limits
On personal Android phones the work profile is all you manage. Banned apps in the personal profile are outside MDM reach.
For setup details, read blocking apps in an Android work profile. On Windows laptops and desktops, banned apps are handled with application control, which is outside this page.
Government app bans: frequently asked questions
Is TikTok still banned on government devices?
Not on US federal executive branch devices as a blanket rule. In August 2026 OMB memo M-26-17 rescinded the 2023 removal guidance after a Justice Department legal opinion found that the app run by the TikTok US joint venture is no longer a covered application.
Congress, many states and other countries set their own rules, so check the current policy for your organization.
What did the No TikTok on Government Devices Act require?
Passed by Congress in December 2022 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, it required federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices, with exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research.
OMB guidance in February 2023 gave agencies 30 days to remove the app, block its installation and block network traffic to it.
Can government employees have TikTok on personal phones?
The federal and most state rules covered government-owned devices, not personal phones. Some bodies went further: the European Commission rule also covered personal phones with official apps installed. Check your own agency policy.
Which governments banned DeepSeek on official devices?
In 2025 Australia, Taiwan, South Korean ministries, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Belgium restricted DeepSeek for government use, Italy's data protection authority blocked it, and many US states and federal bodies did the same.
The FY2026 US defense authorization act bars the Department of Defense from using DeepSeek. Our DeepSeek blocking guide has the steps.
Is there an official federal app ban list?
No single list exists. Restrictions come from laws, OMB memos, CISA directives and each agency's own policy. Ask your agency CIO or CISO for the current list and keep your MDM blocklist in line with it.
Which apps did the Indian government ban?
India blocked 59 apps including TikTok, SHAREit and UC Browser in June 2020 under Section 69A of the IT Act, then 118 more in September 2020, 43 in November 2020 and 54 in February 2022, including Free Fire.
Keep restricted apps off every managed device
Category blocklists for iOS, iPadOS and Android, with bundle IDs, package names and MDM import files, updated monthly. Ask us about agency-specific lists.
TikTok, TikTok Lite and Lemon8 are trademarks of ByteDance Ltd. DeepSeek, rednote, Webull, moomoo, Tiger Brokers, SHAREit, UC Browser, Free Fire and Kaspersky are trademarks of their respective owners.
Apple, iPhone, iPad and Apple Business Manager are trademarks of Apple Inc. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google LLC. Names are used only to identify the products discussed. AppBlockList is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by these companies.