President Trump To Ban TikTok, WeChat Downloads Beginning On Sunday
President Trump will prohibit downloads of TikTok and WeChat beginning on Sunday “to safeguard the national security of the United States,” according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6, 2020 addressing what he described as a threat posed by TikTok and WeChat. He determined the apps capture vast swaths of information from U.S. users, leaving the data vulnerable to CCP access for nefarious purposes.
Users who have already downloaded the apps on their phones may continue using the software but the restrictions will not allow people to download updates.
The President has provided until November 12 for the national security concerns posed by TikTok to be resolved. If they are, the prohibitions in this order may be lifted, according to the press release.
“Today’s actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party,” said U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations.”
