Security News > 2020 > August > Trump Bans Dealings With Chinese Owners of TikTok, WeChat
President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered a sweeping but unspecified ban on dealings with the Chinese owners of consumer apps TikTok and WeChat, although it remains unclear if he has the legal authority to actually ban the apps from the U.S. The twin executive orders - one for each app - take effect in 45 days.
The administration has provided no specific evidence that TikTok has made U.S. users' data available to the Chinese government.
Earlier in the week, Trump threatened a deadline of Sept. 15 to "Close down" TikTok unless Microsoft or another company acquires it.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced an expansion of the U.S. crackdown on Chinese technology to include barring Chinese apps from U.S. app stores, citing alleged security threats and calling out TikTok and WeChat by name.
WeChat and its sister app Weixin in China are hugely popular messaging apps; many Chinese expatriates use WeChat to stay in touch with friends and family back home.
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