Security News > 2020 > September > Judge Halts WeChat Download Ban in US-China Tech Battle
A US judge on Sunday blocked the government's ban on WeChat downloads, hours before it was due to take effect in an ongoing technology and espionage battle between Washington and Beijing.
The Trump administration had ordered a ban on downloads of the messaging platform WeChat as well as hugely popular video-sharing app TikTok, both owned by Chinese companies.
The US Department of Commerce on Saturday announced it was postponing the ban on TikTok downloads until September 27, due to "Recent positive developments."
Trump has often claimed, without providing evidence, that TikTok and WeChat are collecting user data for Beijing.
The Trump administration has used its own "Entity list" to shut Chinese telecom giant Huawei out of the US market, in addition to the recent moves against TikTok and WeChat.
News URL
Related news
- US tech jobs outlook clouded by DOGE cuts, Trump tariffs (source)
- China’s FamousSparrow flies back into action, breaches US org after years off the radar (source)
- Asian tech players react to US tariffs with delays, doubts, deal-making (source)
- Ex-Meta exec tells Senate Zuck dangled US citizen data in bid to enter China (source)
- China reportedly admitted directing cyberattacks on US infrastructure (source)
- China names alleged US snoops over Asian Winter Games attacks (source)
- China now America's number one cyber threat – US must get up to speed (source)
- Maryland man pleads guilty to outsourcing US govt work to North Korean dev in China (source)