Q&A: What does banning TikTok and WeChat mean for users?

Q&A: What does banning TikTok and WeChat mean for users?

SeattlePI.com

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The U.S. government is cracking down on the Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat, starting by barring them from app stores on Sunday.

President Donald Trump has cited concerns about Chinese government snooping as his administration prepares to follow through on executive orders that could make it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for Americans to use the apps.

Trump has also floated a potential way out, at least for TikTok, which on Friday he called an “amazing company” that is “very, very popular.”

Here are some questions and answers about the deal.

WHEN DO THE BANS TAKE EFFECT?

The order disallowing TikTok and WeChat from smartphone app stores takes effect Sunday, as do additional restrictions on the use of WeChat.

A broader ban on the use of TikTok will follow on Nov. 12 unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance is able to persuade U.S. officials that it can resolve national security concerns, such as with a proposed partnership with American tech company Oracle. Trump administration officials were reviewing the deal over the past week and experts say the looming action could add pressure on ByteDance to make concessions.

WHAT ARE TIKTOK AND WECHAT?

TikTok is a smartphone app for making and watching short videos that's popular with teens and young adults, with typical posts centered around lip syncing, dancing or making people laugh. TikTok says it has 100 million U.S. users and hundreds of millions globally. It has its own influencer culture, enabling people to make a living by posting videos on the service, and hosts ads from major U.S. companies.

WeChat is a messaging-focused app that in the U.S. serves as a lifeline to friends, family, customers and business contacts in China. Its owner, Chinese tech giant Tencent, says it has more than a billion...

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