U.S. to ban downloading Chinese apps WeChat, TikTok after Sunday

Photo taken Aug. 1, 2020, in Tokyo shows the logos of video-sharing social networking service TikTok and its Beijing-based owner ByteDance Ltd. (Kyodo) WASHINGTON - Popular Chinese apps WeChat and TikTok will be prohibited from being downloaded from U.S. app stores as of the end of Sunday amid national security concerns, the Commerce Department said Friday, adding tension to the already intensifying U.S.-China rivalry. Messaging app WeChat and short-form video sharing app TikTok have been facing the threat of a ban on transactions from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which alleges the platforms capture vast swaths of data from U.S. citizens for transfer to the Chinese government. Under measures that will be put in place the last minute of Sunday, users will not be able to download the apps such as from Apple Inc.'s app store or Alphabet Inc.'s Google Play. Those who have the apps already on their phones will not be able to get updates or patches from the stores, the department said. WeChat users will also be unable to use services for transferring funds or processing payments within the United States, it said. Meanwhile, users outside the United States, including American users of the apps in China, will not be affected as the measures are specifically aimed at protecting "American privacy and security," a senior department official said. WeChat will face tougher technical restrictions apart from the download ban from Sunday, which the department says will "reduce its functionality" in the United States such as on the handling of data. TikTok will be subject to the same type of restrictions as of Nov. 12, a date that falls after the presidential election on Nov. 3, unless a deal is reached to address national security concerns. According to Reuters, existing TikTok users will see few changes until Nov. 12 when the ban on some technical transactions will kick in, which TikTok suggested would amount to an effective ban. A spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement, "We disagree with the decision from the Commerce Department, and are disappointed that it stands to block new app downloads from Sunday and ban use of the TikTok app in the U.S. from Nov. 12." "Our community of 100 million U.S. users love TikTok because it's a home for entertainment, self-expression, and connection, and we're committed to protecting their privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform," the spokesperson said. The Trump administration has been pushing for American companies to reach a deal to buy the U.S. operations of TikTok from its parent company ByteDance Ltd. by Sunday, threatening to ban the app's use in the country otherwise. U.S. software company Oracle Corp. has been in talks with ByteDance over the issue, but Trump has not said whether he would approve the possible buyout. The Commerce Department said it "stands ready to potentially remove the restrictions" that will be placed on TikTok if the president agrees to a deal. TikTok became hugely popular in the United States after ByteDance acquired U.S. short-video platform Musical.ly in 2017 at a price tag of around $1 billion. Musical.ly was fully rebranded as TikTok. But security concerns linger in the United States and elsewhere, with India announcing a ban of its use in June. In Japan, a group of ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers has recently called for the need to take steps to prevent privacy leaks through Chinese apps. WeChat, owned by Chinese IT giant Tencent Holdings Ltd., is believed to have more than a billion users around the world. In China, many of its users link their bank accounts or credit cards to its payment service. A Tencent spokesperson expressed disappointment over the latest development, noting that the company has been engaging in "extensive discussions with the U.S. government" and has "put forward a comprehensive proposal to address its concerns." "The restrictions announced today are unfortunate, but given our desire to provide ongoing services to our users in the United States -- for whom WeChat is an important communication tool -- we will continue to discuss with the government and other stakeholders in the U.S. ways to achieve a long-term solution," the spokesperson said in a statement. Photo taken in Beijing on Aug. 6, 2020, shows the icon of Chinese messenger app WeChat. (Kyodo)