Trump Signs Executive Order To Ban All Transactions With TikTok And WeChat In 45 Days
Donald Trump has issued two executive orders under which all transactions with TikTok and WeChat will be banned in the United States in 45 days. For TikTok, the ban could still be avoided if an American company acquires its operations in the United States.
On August 6th, the United States President Donald Trump signed two executive orders "addressing the threat posed by WeChat and TikTok." The two orders forbid "any transactions" between the United States citizens and ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, and WeChat, with both orders coming into effect in 45 days (on September 20th, 2020).
I […] find that additional steps must be taken to deal with the national emergency with respect to the information and communications technology and services supply chain […] At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok.[…]
The following actions shall be prohibited beginning 45 days after the date of this order, to the extent permitted under applicable law: any transaction by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, with ByteDance Ltd. (a.k.a. Zìjié Tiàodòng), Beijing, China, or its subsidiaries.
The orders follow the July 31st, 2020, statement by Donald Trump in which he announced that the United States government was considering banning TikTok.
Previously, the American multinational technology company Microsoft expressed the intention to acquire ByteDance's TikTok operations in the US. Yesterday on August 6th, sources indicated that Microsoft could be aiming for buying out all of TikTok's global business, including its operations in India, where the app has remained banned since June 30th this year. Microsoft and ByteDance have time until September 15th to reach an agreement.
Share Pin
Wurmple
hell yeah boi
RagingGhost
ThisIsMyThrowaway
If this is the case, I'm interested in seeing what people's stance is when these games are banned.
ThisIsMyThrowaway
I'm conflicted. On one hand, I absolutely hate TikTok and think it encourages people to be extremely trashy. It feels whenever something controversial comes up it's mostly related to a TikTok user or "challenge".
On the other, this does feel like a Xenophobic power move. I mean, you have to ask why specifically TikTok and WeChat but not other massively popular Chinese owned data collecting software? Like League of Legends, UCBrowser, Alibaba, Clash of Clans, or LiveMe. Why not just let Microsft buy TikTok as the US did with Grindr? Why is it that only US and India are banning it, but it still remains a non/low concern for hundreds of other countries?
I'd be glad to see TikTok gone, but I don't think it being removed for security concerns is really the reason why Trump is doing this.
| || || |_
> why specifically TikTok and WeChat
Because TikTok just had a massive data collection scandal and WeChat is the 500 pound gorilla of Chinese messaging. They're the obvious targets to start with.
> Why is it that only US and India are banning it, but it still remains a non/low concern for hundreds of other countries?
I expect Australia to follow up with something similar soon.
The EU's been combating this kind of thing through the GDPR and heavy regulation, I expect them to continue with that approach for the near future.
Phhase
Just as its inverse, the means don't justify the ends. Is it a good idea for security, teen culture, and data privacy to ban them? Yeah, probably. Do you really think those are the main reasons our Glorious Leader done did it? Ehhhh…
Turd Sandwich
Finally our government actually did something good.
Andytainment
Ironically with VPN: "Sounds good, doesn't work."