WASHINGTON — The White House has given all federal agencies 30 days to delete TikTok from all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app faces increased scrutiny in Washington due to security concerns.

The guidance, issued Monday, is described as a "critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data" by the Office of Management and Budget. Some agencies, such as the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and State, have already implemented restrictions; the guidance instructs the rest of the federal government to do so within 30 days.

TikTok is already blocked on White House devices.

"The Biden-Harris Administration has made significant investments in defending our country's digital infrastructure and limiting foreign adversaries' access to Americans' data," said Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer. "This guidance is part of the administration's ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and safeguarding the security and privacy of the American people."

House Republicans are expected to introduce legislation Tuesday that would give Biden the authority to ban TikTok nationwide. The legislation, proposed by Rep. Mike McCaul, seeks to avoid the legal challenges that the administration would face if sanctions were imposed on the social media company.

If approved, the proposal would allow the administration to prohibit not only TikTok but also any software applications that pose a threat to national security. McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, has been a vocal critic of the app, claiming that the Chinese Communist Party is using it to "manipulate and monitor its users while gobbling up Americans' data to be used for their malign activities."

"Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP a backdoor to all their personal information. "It's a spy balloon into your phone," said the Texas Republican on Monday.

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ, his Senate counterpart, did not dismiss the possibility of the chamber taking up a proposal authorizing Biden to take action against TikTok, saying it was "certainly something to consider."

"We hope that when it comes to addressing national security concerns about TikTok beyond government devices, Congress will look into solutions that will not have the effect of censoring the voices of millions of Americans," Oberwetter said.

TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance Ltd., remains extremely popular, with two-thirds of teens in the United States using it. However, there is growing concern that Beijing may gain control of the app's American user data.

The company has rejected the federal device ban and stated that it is developing security and data privacy plans as part of the Biden administration's ongoing national security review.

Canada also announced on Monday that TikTok will be removed from all government-issued mobile devices. The European Union's executive branch announced last week that it has temporarily banned TikTok from employee phones as a cybersecurity measure.