Canada bans China’s Wechat from government devices citing security risks
Canada has banned Chinese super-app WeChat on official government devices citing cybersecurity risks, following similar action taken against short-form video app TikTok earlier this year. The latest ban, announced on Monday and effective the same day, was also imposed on applications from Kaspersky Lab, a Russian maker of antivirus programs.
After TikTok, Montana Bans WeChat, Temu And Telegram From Government Devices
Montana has banned the popular video-sharing app TikTok statewide, becoming the first U.S. state to implement such a law. The state has also prohibited the use of five other apps on government devices and state businesses. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday ordered the state's Chief Information Officer Kevin Gilbertson to ban apps that pose a "risk of foreign adversaries obtaining Montanans' personal, private, sensitive information and data" from government-issued devices.
Biden revokes Trump’s TikTok and WeChat ban order, but White House says it’ll subject foreign-owned apps to a security review
President Biden is revoking the Trump administration orders that sought to ban TikTok, WeChat and other Chinese apps and replacing it with a new security review that could prompt fresh steps to restrict those or other apps.
A new executive order will create a process to scrutinize whether apps controlled by a foreign adversary present risks to U.S. national security and the security of Americans’ sensitive personal data, the White House said Wednesday.
After the review, the government can “take action, as appropriate,” the administration said in a fact sheet.
TikTok, WeChat Actions by Trump Targeting China Revoked by Biden
President Biden on Wednesday revoked executive orders targeting the Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat apps signed by former President Donald Trump, and signed a new order requiring security reviews of these and other apps in the jurisdiction of foreign adversaries.
The new order directs the Commerce Department to instead evaluate software applications connected with foreign adversaries under recent U.S. supply-chain security rules “and take action, as appropriate,” according to a fact sheet.
China
“President Donald Trump urged world leaders to hold China accountable for the spread of the coronavirus, in a video address to a scaled-down U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.” (AP News)
“A U.S. judge early Sunday blocked the Trump administration from requiring Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google to remove Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat for downloads.” (Reuters)
Commerce Department announces clampdown on TikTok and WeChat begins Sunday
The Trump administration will begin blocking business transactions in the United States with popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok and messaging app WeChat starting on Sunday.
The Commerce Department announced the new rules barring TikTok and WeChat from U.S. app stores on Friday, but it could be rescinded depending on whether a deal that addresses national security concerns is reached.
US bans WeChat, TikTok citing privacy, national security
The U.S. will ban the downloads of the Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat on Sunday, with a total ban on the use of the latter, citing national security and data privacy concerns.
A total ban on the use of TikTok will follow on Nov. 12, but Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said early Friday on Fox Business Network that access to that app may be possible if certain safeguards are put into place.
The Trump Administration Is Banning Americans From Downloading TikTok And WeChat
The Trump administration said Friday that it will block people in the United States from downloading popular Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat starting Sunday. Both apps are used by over 100 million people in the country.