The Trump administration is moving to ban additional Chinese apps, with President trump signing an executive order targeting eight.
Trump previously banned TikTok, as well as WeChat, citing national security and privacy concerns. He has now signed an executive order banning Alipay, CamScanner, QQ Wallet, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate, WeChat Pay and WPS Office, according to The New York Times.
“The United States has assessed that a number of Chinese connected software applications automatically capture vast swaths of information from millions of users in the United States, including sensitive personally identifiable information and private information,” the order said. “At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by these Chinese connected software applications.”
The order is not set to go into effect until 45 days from now, well into the Biden administration, casting doubt on whether it will be implemented. With one judge already saying the government “likely overstepped” in its TikTok ban, it’s even more unlikely these new bans will ever see the light of day.