TikTok ban Wisconsin wasn’t a phrase many expected to hear in mid-2022. But by the time snow fell across Madison that December, concerns about the app’s data practices had become a regular fixture in political conversations. Especially in committee rooms just past 9 AM — where laptops blinked, coffee cooled, and lawmakers scanned headlines faster than they read memos.
The push came from a report titled “TikTok: A Dangerous Game,” which cast the platform not as harmless entertainment but as a potential vector for foreign surveillance. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company based in Beijing, was the primary concern. And in that context, the issue became less about trends and more about infrastructure. Wisconsin digital policy, until then, hadn’t treated mobile apps as matters of state security.
At first glance, it sounded precautionary. Then came the cascade of agency-level bans in other states — and the pressure to act grew louder.
The Logic Behind the Concern
TikTok’s popularity in Wisconsin mirrors national trends. It’s a staple of teenage screens and, increasingly, adult ones. But the FGA’s report emphasized something else entirely: data privacy in Wisconsin wasn’t equipped to handle apps with opaque storage and transmission practices.
The document outlined three core concerns. First, TikTok state devices may expose user data to foreign actors. That includes not just browsing habits or app activity, but geolocation and contact access. Second, there was precedent. Agencies like the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security had already barred TikTok on work devices. Third, Wisconsin had yet to act decisively — a vacuum that, the report argued, posed a long-term risk.
Whether that risk was imminent or theoretical? That depended on who was asked. For security hawks, even the potential was enough. For skeptics, the absence of specific breaches left the concern speculative.
Still, the questions lingered.
Diverging Views: From the Capitol to County Boards
Not everyone saw urgency in the same light. Evers TikTok response came measured, even cautious. In public remarks, Governor Evers acknowledged the concerns but avoided immediate executive action. His office cited ongoing monitoring and adherence to federal cybersecurity recommendations.
Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers voiced sharper positions. Draft legislation floated in early January 2023 aimed to restrict the app across all government-managed networks. At the same time, officials in counties like Waukesha and Dane expressed interest in setting their own policies, depending on IT infrastructure and staffing.
There were disagreements about scope. Should school-issued iPads be included? What about contractors working on state-funded projects? The lack of a centralized directive left each agency to improvise.
It worked — mostly. But not without friction.
National Comparisons and Regional Lag
By the end of 2022, over a dozen states had moved to restrict TikTok. South Dakota’s ban came within 72 hours of the FBI issuing its warning. Texas followed quickly. Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina joined next.
Wisconsin, in contrast, hesitated. Partly out of procedural caution, partly due to legislative gridlock.
The data privacy Wisconsin debate had grown beyond one platform. For some, TikTok symbolized a broader reckoning with foreign-owned digital products. For others, it was just the latest target in a cycle of tech-driven anxiety.
Still, the timing mattered. By midweek sessions, IT directors in county offices reported more staff inquiries. One administrator in Green Bay noted that the question popped up more often in budget meetings than cybersecurity audits.
Public universities had internal discussions, too. Should they adopt campus-wide bans? Or leave that to students and faculty discretion?
The point is: no one wanted to be first to act and then wrong.
Where Wisconsin Might Go Next
The future of TikTok in Wisconsin government circles remains uncertain. As of early 2025, no executive order had been issued. But conversations continue — sometimes behind closed doors, sometimes in quiet hallway exchanges between staffers.
Some experts suggest that future digital policy will need to go broader than app bans. One proposal involves establishing statewide guidelines for foreign tech use, reviewed annually by an independent cybersecurity panel. Another recommends transparency mandates for any app used on public networks.
There are no clear answers. That’s part of the trouble. When inboxes calm, and phones buzz less often. It’s in those moments, tucked between agenda items, that momentum builds.
Wisconsin may not be first. But it may still set a tone. We thought it was a narrow issue. Turns out, it wasn’t.