A Chinese App Ban Is Still Possible Under President Biden’s Executive Order

Despite President Biden having previously overturned plans for the United States to ban WeChat and TikTok, there is still a chance that both apps could be banned in the future.

Biden replaced President Trump’s executive orders that were specific to the two apps with a more general one that was designed to protect US data, but a new report today says that the same apps are at risk of being banned.

According to a Reuters report, Chinese apps will need to improve their lacking privacy measures if they are to be assured of continued availability in the United States.

President Joe Biden’s executive order aimed at safeguarding Americans’ sensitive data would force some Chinese apps to take tougher measures to protect private information if they want to remain in the U.S. market, according to people familiar with the matter.

The report continues.

While the new order does not name companies, it could end up capturing more apps than the Trump bans and hold up better if challenged in court. Reuters is the first to report details on how the Biden administration plans to implement the order, including seeking support from other countries.

Trump made a big song and dance about banning TikTok in particular, although that ultimately never came to fruition. Whether the Chinese social network still needs to be worried isn’t clear despite this latest report. Many of these moves are seen as posturing rather than laying the groundwork for meaningful action.

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