Donald Trump’s TikTok, WeChat Executive Order Sparks Intense Response Online

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders late Thursday night, hitting TikTok and WeChat, two popular social media networks developed by Chinese companies. The orders impose restrictions that go into effect in 45 days and cite security concerns. The move comes while the rift between the U.S. and China grows deeper. On social media, the move was met with a spirited response, with some suggesting this was an odd issue for Trump to focus on while the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage across the country.

The orders bar TikTok and WeChat from making any transactions with anyone or for property within U.S. jurisdiction, reports the New York Times. The order does not cover any talks or contracts that began before the 45 days end. This means TikTok’s discussions with Microsoft will not be affected. Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok, which was made by ByteDance.

In the White House’s Thursday night announcement, Trump accused ByteDance and Tencent, which developed WeChat, of helping the Chinese Community Party obtain Americans’ information and keep track of Chinese citizens abroad. The administration also accused the two social networks of spreading disinformation campaigns to help the Chinese government.

“TikTok automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users, including Internet and other network activity information such as location data and browsing and search histories,” Trump’s executive order reads in part. “This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”

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In the executive order on the “threat posed by WeChat,” Trump accused the social network of similar charges. “WeChat, like TikTok, also reportedly censors content that the Chinese Communist Party deems politically sensitive and may also be used for disinformation campaigns that benefit the Chinese Communist Party,” the executive order on WeChat reads. “These risks have led other countries, including Australia and India, to begin restricting or banning the use of WeChat. The United States must take aggressive action against the owner of WeChat to protect our national security.”

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Last week, Microsoft announced it was in talks to acquire TikTok. Trump stepped into the discussions this week, setting a Sept. 15 deadline for the company to buy the social network. Then, Trump said any deal needs to include a “substantial amount of money” sent to the U.S. government. “Right now they don’t have any rights unless we give it to them. So if we’re going to give them the rights, then … it has to come into this country,” the president said, reports CNN. “It’s a great asset, but it’s not a great asset in the United States unless they have approval in the United States.”

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