President Donald Trump’s administration confirmed plans to ban the mobile applications TikTok and WeChat from United States’ mobile app stores.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross took to Twitter a statement on Friday as he announced that both TikTok and WeChat, both owned by developers in China, would be banned from all mobile app stores starting Sunday, September 20.
“At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations,” Ross tweeted.
At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations.
— Sec. Wilbur Ross (@SecretaryRoss) September 18, 2020
TikTok users who already have the app will still be able to use it. However, they will be unable to install updates without the app being accessible through mobile app stores, according to ABC News.
In light of recently confirmed developments, TikTok released a statement to express its disapproval of Trump’s decision n response to the forthcoming ban.
“We’ve already committed to unprecedented levels of additional transparency and accountability well beyond what other apps are willing to do, including third-party audits, verification of code security, and US government oversight of US data security,” TikTok said.
It continued, “We will continue to challenge the executive order, which was enacted without due process and threatens to deprive American people and small businesses across the US of a significant platform for both a voice and livelihoods.”
NEW: TikTok says it will challenge the U.S. gov imposed ban this morning, calls it “unjust” pic.twitter.com/qGI3P8syO7
— Alex Heath (@alexeheath) September 18, 2020
The president’s decision to take aim at TikTok came shortly after it was reported that TikTok users trolled his campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., in June.
At the time, Trump’s campaign team was led to believe that more than 1 million of the president’s supporters had requested tickets to the rally.
However, it was later revealed that a substantial number of TikTokers users had signed up for tickets through Trump’s campaign website with no intent on attending the rally.
TikTok has already confirmed that it will be challenging the administration’s decision to ban the app.