US bans TikTok and WeChat citing security risk
The US on Friday issued orders to ban Chinese social media apps TikTok and WeChat from Sunday to safeguard national security. It comes weeks after India banned such Chinese apps, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.
The development comes a day after the US President Donald Trump said that he is looking into American major Oracle's reported bid for the TikTok. He said that he wants to ensure that national security will not be compromised.
In August, Donald Trump had signed an order to ban TikTok and WeChat by September 15 unless the ownership of the two Chinese companies changed to American.
The US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that they have taken action to promote national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of US laws and regulations. Meanwhile, the Department of Commerce has warned the other social media apps of replicating WeChat or TikTok's illicit behaviour.
From September 20, there will be no provision of service to distribute or maintain WeChat or TikTok through an online mobile application store in the US. It also banned any kind of financial transactions that include transferring of funds or processing of payments within the US.
India banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, We Chat and UC Browser on June 29, while it was expanded to 224 Chinese apps later.
The ban was imposed in the backdrop of stand-off between Indian Army and Chinese troops at the Line of Actual control in eastern Ladakh.
-PTC News
