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After TikTok: Navigating the Complex Web of Foreign Tech Bans
As federal and state governments extend their lists of banned foreign technologies, where is this trend heading next? Is your home network safe for work use?
After TikTok: Navigating the Complex Web of Foreign Tech Bans
As federal and state governments extend their lists of banned foreign technologies, where is this trend heading next? Is your home network safe for work use?
February 01, 2026 •
[Illustration of the globe as seen from space overlaid with digital connections and locks representing cybersecurity.]
Shutterstock/Blue Planet Studio
Just as national headlines started to report that TikTok closed the deal to split the U.S. app from the global business, other headlines seemed to double down on U.S. federal and state governments banning more Chinese software (including AI apps) because of cybersecurity concerns.
For example, consider this story from The Dallas Express: “Texas Bans 26 Chinese Tech And AI Firms Over Cybersecurity Concerns”
“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has expanded the state’s banned technology list, adding 26 Chinese companies and AI platforms.
“The move blocks state employees from using hardware and software deemed security threats, expanding restrictions as states nationwide grapple with cybersecurity risks from foreign adversaries. Abbott cited concerns about data harvesting and potential exploitation by China’s government.
“‘Rogue actors across the globe who wish harm on Texans should not be allowed to infiltrate our state’s network and devices,’ Abbott said in a news release. ‘Hostile adversaries harvest user data through AI and other applications and hardware to exploit, manipulate, and violate users and put them at extreme risk.’”
The Texas press release and full list of banned Chinese apps is available here.
MORE BACKGROUND PLEASE
Remember the TikTok ban proposals and national debates about what the reactions would be across the U.S. and the world?
For example, consider this Texas government background:
“On December 7, 2022, Governor Greg Abbott required all state agencies to ban the video sharing application TikTok and other prohibited technologies from all state-owned devices and networks over the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to use the application for surveilling Texans. Governor Abbott also directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) to develop a plan providing state agencies guidance on managing personal devices used to conduct state business. …”
Back in April 2024, I asked: “What Would a TikTok Ban Mean?”
Last year, this video described the ban that Gov. Abbott first put in place:
Also in late January 2025: “NASA becomes latest federal agency to block China’s DeepSeek on ‘security and privacy concerns’”
In June of last year, this Lawfare article did a deep dive into the topic: “Beyond Bans: Expanding the Policy Options for Tech-Security Threats.” Here’s an excerpt:
“American policymakers need a spectrum of responses to foreign technology risks that appropriately balance trade-offs in economic costs; Americans’ access to online services; supply chain entanglement; transparency; domestic imperatives like privacy and civil liberties; and the ability to convince allies and partners to act alongside the United States, where relevant. Such a toolkit—encompassing technical, governance, and commercial mitigation measures—at present often comes up short of a robust, comprehensive approach to contemporary tech supply chain and national security risks, leaving the U.S. vulnerable and policymakers without more tailored options to act on potential threats. …”
Later, in October of last year, Reuters reported: “US agency votes to tighten restrictions on Chinese tech companies deemed threats.”
“The United States tightened rules on telecoms gear made by Chinese companies deemed a national security risk, the latest move in a broader crackdown on Beijing.
“The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 on Tuesday to block new approvals for devices with parts from companies on its ‘Covered List’ and to allow the agency to bar previously approved equipment in certain cases. …”
But NBC News reported on Jan. 22, 2026, that “The United States and China have signed off on a deal that hands control of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a group of investors backed by President Donald Trump.
“TikTok said Thursday in a news release that a new company, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, would ensure the app continues to be available in the U.S. The company will ‘operate under defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for U.S. users,’ the statement said.”
STILL HITTING CLOSE TO HOME: WI-FI ROUTER BANS?
But while millions of TikTok users in the U.S. are no doubt breathing a sigh of relief that a solution has been found to their favorite app, there are other tech bans still moving forward that will likely impact state and local governments.
In late October 2025, The Washington Post reported: “U.S. agencies back banning popular home WiFi device, citing national security risk”
“The Commerce Department has proposed barring sales of TP-Link products, citing a national security risk from ties to China, people familiar with the matter said. …
“TP-Link has been under fire for at least a year, but with the backing of several US agencies, the Commerce Department is now poised to ban the sale of TP-Link devices in the US. …”
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