Joe Biden Saves TikTok From Trump-Era Ban
info@hypebae.com (HYPEBAE) Thu, 10 Jun 2021 HYPEBAE
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden revoked Donald Trump's executive order that sought to ban several Chinese-owned apps including TikTok and WeChat. Last year, Trump attempted to block the platforms from operating in the United States, citing national security concerns. The most extreme effects of Trump's order -- including an outright shutdown of TikTok in the U.S. -- never came to fruition, thanks to a preliminary injunction granted by a federal judge.
However, TikTok and WeChat aren't entirely out of the clear. In place of Trump's order, Biden issued a new one calling for an investigation into apps with ties to foreign countries that may pose a risk to national security and data privacy. It's unclear whether his administration will double down on the Trump-era demand that ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, transfer its data from American users to a company based in the U.S.
“The administration is committed to promoting an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet and to protecting human rights online and offline, and to supporting a vibrant global digital economy," a senior administration official told The Verge. The official went on to state that "certain countries, including China," do not share America's "commitments or values" in regards to data privacy.
Click here to view full gallery at HYPEBAE
