President of the United States, Donald Trump has just issued an executive order which effectively bans TikTok in the US. As CNN reports, Trump’s order, beginning in 45 days, prohibits any US transactions with the parent company of TikTok.
He’s claiming that TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance is putting users’ personal data at risk.
The order is claiming to, “address the national emergency with respect to the information and communication technology supply chain.”
It alleges the app’s “data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information.”
TikTok denies the claims. Speaking to The Verge last month, TikTok’s spokesperson said, “We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users.”
“We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked.”
Earlier this week, Trump told White House press that TikTok would have to stop all US operations by mid-September if it wasn’t sold to a US company.
Meanwhile our PM, Scott Morrison says a ban isn’t necessary. “There’s nothing at this point that would suggest to us that security interests are being compromised, or Australian citizens are being compromised,” he told the Aspen Security Forum.
He did, however, urge caution using the app. “People need to understand where the extension cord goes back to,” he said.
“People should know that the line connects right back to China and they should exercise their own judgment about whether they should participate in those things or not.”
BREAKING: President Trump just issued an executive order "on Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok." It takes effect in 45 days, prohibits "any transaction" with ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, and will almost certainly face legal challenges. pic.twitter.com/Ma9XOfYgOB
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) August 7, 2020
