Biden lifts ban on Tiktok, WeChat
US President Joe Biden has withdrawn his predecessor Donald Trump’s order banning the download of Chinese apps like TikTok and WeChat. In a fact sheet, the White House said President Biden has rescinded three executive orders that were intended to prohibit transactions with TikTok, WeChat and eight other communications and fintech software applications. Two of these are subject to litigation.
According to the White House, Biden has signed an executive order under which the US Commerce Secretary will now investigate these apps owned by Chinese companies to see if they pose a risk to US data privacy or national security.
Trump sought to block TikTok and WeChat downloads by new users in the US, citing national security concerns, but his orders were blocked in federal district courts and never took effect.
The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the move, saying President Biden’s decision to rescind these executive orders of the Trump administration is a clear violation of the First Amendment rights of TikTok and WeChat users in America.
