TikTok downloads will soon be banned in the US, Trump administration announces

TikTok and WeChat downloads will soon be banned, the Trump administration announced Friday.

The ban on downloading the apps goes into effect Sunday, federal officials say. U.S. companies, which include Apple and Google, will no longer be able to distribute the apps, the Commerce Department said.

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the U.S,” according to a release from the U.S. Department of Commerce. “Today’s announced prohibitions, when combined, protect users in the U.S. by eliminating access to these applications and significantly reducing their functionality.”

The release claims the apps collect “vast swaths” of user data. TikTok has repeatedly said it is not a national security threat.

The popular app will be completely shut down on Nov. 12 if there is no buyer for the Chinese-owned company, according to the Commerce Department.

Trump said in July he wanted to ban TikTok to punish China for the coronavirus, McClatchy News reported. He wants an American buyer for U.S. operations of the app, and Oracle appears to be a potential buyer, according to USA Today.

This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 8:02 AM with the headline "TikTok downloads will soon be banned in the US, Trump administration announces."