Chinese social media apps TikTok and WeChat will be banned from US app stores from Sunday, September 20.
The Department of Commerce Friday announced prohibitions on transactions relating to mobile applications WeChat and TikTok to safeguard the national security of the US.
According to the regulator, "the Chinese Communist Party has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the U.S. Today's announced prohibitions, when combined, protect users in the U.S. by eliminating access to these applications and significantly reducing their functionality."
However, Chinese government and both companies deny this allegations.
WeChat will effectively shut down in the US on Sunday, but people will still be able to use TikTok until 12 November. Meanwhile, officials say that the ban on the apps could be rescinded by Trump before it takes effect on Sunday.
"Today's actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party," said U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "At the President's direction, we have taken significant action to combat China's malicious collection of American citizens' personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations."
TikTok said it was "disappointed" with the order and disagreed with the commerce department.
"We will continue to challenge the unjust executive order, which was enacted without due process and threatens to deprive the American people and small businesses across the US of a significant platform for both a voice and livelihoods," the company said.
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