By Alex Delia (Deputy Managing Editor)

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order banning Chinese-owned artificial intelligence and social media apps from all state-issued devices, citing security concerns over data harvesting. The move expands previous bans on TikTok and reflects growing tensions over foreign-owned technology in the U.S.

New executive order expands restrictions

Abbott’s order, announced Wednesday, Jan. 29, directs the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Department of Information Resources to enforce the ban. The blacklist includes DeepSeek, an AI chatbot gaining popularity among American users, as well as social media apps RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), Lemon8 and financial trading platforms Webull, Tiger Brokers and Moomoo.

“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps,” Abbott said in a statement. His office declined further comment.

DeepSeek AI: A rising competitor in the industry

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, recently introduced DeepSeek-V3, an advanced AI model competing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The model has drawn attention for its capabilities, despite being developed at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts.

Its rapid rise has triggered concerns over data privacy, particularly as U.S. lawmakers continue to scrutinize the influence of Chinese technology on American consumers and businesses.

RedNote and Lemon8 gain traction amid TikTok uncertainty

RedNote, a Chinese-owned social media platform, has also surged in popularity in the U.S., especially among users seeking an alternative to TikTok amid ongoing legal battles over its potential ban.

Lemon8, another app owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, was also included in the Texas ban. Both platforms gained traction as TikTok faced legal pressure from federal regulators, leading some users to migrate to alternative Chinese-owned social apps.

Texas aligns with federal concerns over Chinese technology

Texas joins several other states and the federal government in restricting Chinese tech firms over national security concerns. The Congressional Research Service has warned that China mandates data storage and export controls on social media algorithms, raising fears that these platforms could be exploited for espionage.

In 2022, Abbott previously banned TikTok from Texas government devices, aligning with broader U.S. efforts to scrutinize foreign-owned apps. The latest move underscores escalating concerns over how Chinese-owned platforms handle American user data.