TikTok, WeChat, Other China-Based Apps Could Face Bans Due to Biden’s Order [Report]

Chinese-owned applications such as TikTok, WeChat, and Weibo are only some of the favorite social media apps that many people use daily. However, a recent order by the U.S. President Joe Biden might take these apps away from users.

The order was given on June 9, and it asks Chinese app owners to take measures to protect the private data of their U.S. users.

The issue of data privacy and security is currently one of the U.S.' main problems, and it seems like the President is doing his best to jumpstart the government's fight against data invasion.

The current administration's confirmation of reversing former President Trump's ban on Chinese apps does not necessarily mean that the applications are off the hook.

Biden's Executive Order

On June 9, President Biden provided an executive order related to the Trump administration's ban on TikTok and WeChat.

Biden's new order covers a sweeping review of numerous security concerns that foreign-controlled apps, especially Chinese-owned platforms, pose to millions of U.S. users.

Forbes reported that Biden's new order asks the Commerce Department, together with other agencies, to look into foreign-adversary-connected software applications. The president also wants the organizations to establish criteria that can protect users from future threats that the applications pose.

The new order covers many applications, unlike the Trump administration's order to ban specific apps such as TikTok and WeChat. Biden's executive order can impact many applications that tend to access their users' data without asking for permission.

Because more apps will be affected, they could hold up better in court, according to the news outfit.

Trump and Biden: Overlapped Investigation

Although Biden did put a halt to Trump's order to ban TikTok and WeChat in the U.S., his new executive order allowed another investigation to remain in place.

The investigation involves China-based ByteDance's acquisition of Musical.ly, which is TikTok's predecessor. Because of the investigation, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and the Treasury Department can push through with the 2017 acquisition case.

As a matter of fact, the 2017 acquisition paved the way for TikTok to have an established foothold in the U.S. audience.

Affected App: TikTok, WeChat, and More

Reuters reported that Biden's executive order would force several China-based apps to enforce tougher and safer measures to protect the personal data of their U.S. users if they still want to continue their operations in the U.S.

According to Reuters, the following apps could face subpoenas and even bans:

• TikTok
• WeChat
• WeChat Pay
• UC Web
• Alipay
• Tencent QQ

The U.S. Department of Commerce may decide to issue subpoenas that will give them the power to collect information about the said apps. The organization may either provide the apps certain conditions that they have to follow to continue their operations in the U.S., or ban them outright.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Fran Sanders