Texas Gov Abbott adds popular Chinese electronics, online shopping companies to 'prohibited' tech list

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday expanded a list of prohibited technologies for state employees and devices, adding a range of Chinese electronics manufacturers, artificial intelligence companies and popular online shopping platforms over concerns about data security and foreign interference.

The updated restrictions apply to 26 companies and entities, including Alibaba, Shein, Hisense and the e-commerce platform PDD, which operates Temu.

Abbott said the move is intended to prevent foreign adversaries from harvesting data from Texans and exploiting state systems.

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"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 press release.

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"Hostile adversaries harvest user data through AI and other applications and hardware to exploit, manipulate, and violate users and put them at extreme risk," he added. "Today, I am expanding the prohibited technologies list to mitigate that risk and protect the privacy of Texans from the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and any other hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas."

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Texas Cyber Command officials said the additions followed a threat assessment carried out under the authority granted in Abbott’s Jan. 20 directive, which tasked the agency with identifying technologies that pose a risk to sensitive state information.

"The Governor and the Legislature gave a clear mission for the Texas Cyber Command – protect Texans from hostile foreign nations and cyber threat actors," said Chief TJ White. "As TXCC works to stand up its full arsenal of operational assets, we are pleased to lead this effort to prevent cyber attacks that have the potential to exfiltrate sensitive information to bad actors across the globe."

The expansion builds on earlier restrictions imposed by Abbott, including a December 2022 directive ordering state agency leaders to ban the use of TikTok on all government-issued devices.