Model Covered Applications and Prohibited Technology Policy Now Available

The 88th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1893 prohibiting the use of certain social media applications and services on governmental entity devices.

SB 1893 created Government Code Chapter 620, requiring state agencies, the judicial branch, and local government entities, including cities, counties, and special purpose districts, to ban "covered applications"-which includes the social media service, TikTok, and any applications or services developed by the Chinese technology company, ByteDance. It also directed the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) and the Texas Department of Public Safety to develop a model policy for the prohibition of covered applications.

DIR published the Model Covered Applications and Prohibited Technology Policy at https://dir.texas.gov/information-security/covered-applications-and-prohibited-technologies.

Governmental entities, as defined by Government Code Chapter 620, have until November 20, 2024, to adopt their own covered applications policy. Prohibited technology policies, required by Governor Greg Abbott's 2022 directive to state agencies, must remain in place.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].