Texas expands prohibited tech list, citing cyber risks posed by Chinese Communist Party

Texas is tightening its cybersecurity defenses by expanding the list of technologies that state employees are barred from using on government devices, a move aimed at preventing foreign actors from accessing sensitive state data or exploiting government systems.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced the state is adding new restrictions on certain hardware, software and artificial intelligence tools tied to the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party.

The expanded list includes a range of companies involved in AI, surveillance technology, networking equipment, consumer electronics and e-commerce platforms, including Alibaba, Moonshot AI, Xiaomi and TCL. Cybersecurity analysts have said these products pose potential risks because some Chinese companies are legally required under foreign law to share data with their government, raising concerns about espionage and data misuse.

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