Mike Pompeo claims that other apps with Chinese roots such as WeChat could end up having the same fate as TikTok, which is facing a potential ban in the United States.
The U.S. crackdown on all things Chinese is serious. Unfortunately, it could snowball into a bigger problem between the two countries. The United States government is taking no risk of having its national security breached. It started with a strong ban on Huawei devices and services. After this, they are following it up with policies that will ban other Chinese apps too.
It is a very curious situation of how the U.S. will implement the ban on the apps. However, India has already set a precedent, and the U.S. seems adamant about using the same strategy.
WeChat is next in the ban line
According to U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo, they will not stop on their tracks with the ban on TikTok. The White House is treating all Chinese apps as potential security risks for the country. As such, succeeding bans are underway, starting with WeChat.
The main concern is that the U.S. is wary of having the data of its people on the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. Many companies in China can be forced by their government to surrender user information. It is also because of this authoritarian rule that Google and Facebook aren’t allowed in China.
Pompeo said that President Donald Trump is dead set on keeping tabs with the actions of these apps. There is no clear timeline as to when the bans will set in. However, Pompeo claims that President Trump is expected to make an announcement ‘shortly.’ The issue has been simmering in the office of the U.S. president. As such, an official ban is expected to come sooner than later.
TikTok’s impending ban
While the White House is ramping up its activities with the bans on Chinese apps, TikTok’s fate hangs in the balance. Microsoft earlier made a move to start the talks of acquiring ByteDance. However, a few days after, President Trump announced that he’d rather ban the app. As such, Microsoft discontinued its talks soon after.
Nonetheless, TikTok could find a home in any other U.S. company based on the terms of its surrender if Microsoft does not move on with the takeover. For what it’s worth, a U.S. based company could ultimately be the solution to the security issue that the White House has.
Image from China Uncensored/ YouTube thumbnail