President Trump Signs Executive Orders Banning TikTok and WeChat
On Thursday, President Trump signed executive orders that would effectively ban the popular social media apps TikTok and WeChat from operating in the United States in 45 days if they are not sold by their Chinese-owned parent companies. The orders cite national security concerns and the potential collection of Americans’ personal data by the apps as the main reasons for the ban.
Trump’s executive order against TikTok claims that the app automatically captures “vast swaths of information” from its users, posing a threat to the country’s national security and economy. The order also states that TikTok’s data collection could allow the Chinese government access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information.
As for WeChat, the executive order argues that the app captures personal and proprietary information from its users, which could be accessible to the Chinese government. It also states that WeChat allows the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal information and disseminates propaganda beneficial to the Chinese government.
The orders direct the Commerce Department to define the banned transactions within 45 days. The move to ban the apps is the latest escalation in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China over various issues, including trade disputes, technology, and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
In response to the executive orders, TikTok has stated that it is committed to protecting the privacy and safety of its users, noting that it has never provided user data to the Chinese government and has taken steps to ensure that it is stored securely.
It remains to be seen how these executive orders will impact the future of TikTok and WeChat in the U.S. as the deadline for the ban approaches.