A good many TikTok users in the U.S. may be inventing a Biden dance in the wake of the president’s decision Wednesday to revoke former President Donald Trump’s attempts to ban the popular app.
President Biden’s signed executive order also rescinds attempts to stifle WeChat in the U.S. Both businesses’ parent companies are in China.
Multiple media outlets reported that Biden’s executive order also calls for Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to investigate apps connected to foreign adversaries.
“The administration is committed to promoting an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet and to protecting human rights online and offline, and to supporting a vibrant global digital economy,” a White House official told The Verge.
Trump targeted both apps last summer and wanted them discontinued in the U.S. based on their Chinese ties.
He first signed an executive order for Bytedance, TikTok’s parent company, to find a U.S. buyer. Oracle and Walmart reportedly would have been among the leading players, but no deal was ever completed.
A federal judge prevented any immediate action and delayed further review.
As part of Biden’s executive order, continuing vigilance includes a deeper look into potential threats involved in the collection of personal data.
Biden asks the federal government to “evaluate these threats through rigorous, evidence-based analysis and should address any unacceptable or undue risks consistent with overall national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives, including the preservation and demonstration of America’s core values and fundamental freedoms.”
Similar to many businesses capitalizing on the stay-at-home nature of consumers during the pandemic, TikTok boomed last year – and many of its users pivoted to politics.
Last June, some of its users signed up for thousands of tickets to a Trump rally in Oklahoma but purposely did not attend – and celebrated that move as a success.
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