The TikTok wave will come to an end Sunday thanks to the Trump administration.
According to The New York Times, the Chinese-owned mobile app will be barred from U.S. app stores as early as Sunday along with another app, WeChat. Both are very popular services used by more than 100 million people in the United States.
“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 Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a statement.
This move follows an executive order put in place Aug. 6 where President Trump argued that both WeChat and TikTok collect data from American users that could be accessed by the Chinese government. His administration has threatened up to 20 years in prison for violations of the order as well as fines of up to $1 million.
New York Times reports TikTok is currently in talks to be acquired by the American software maker Oracle. Reports reveal the company could announce a deal that would alleviate the administration’s national security concerns.
The Commerce Department says President Trump has given until Nov. 12 for TikTok’s national security concerns to be resolved. If resolved, the prohibitions within the order could be lifted.
A spokesman for TikTok, Josh Gartner, issued a statement to express the company’s disappointment in the Commerce Department’s decision.
“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 U.S. of a significant platform for both a voice and livelihoods,” Gartner said.
With so many creators who use the app to pay their bills, one can only hope this order does not last.
