By Eamonn Burke
President Trump announced Friday night that he plans to ban the social media sensation TikTok, calling it a “severance” from the Chinese-owned app.
“As far as TikTok is concerned we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump told officials aboard his Air Force One flight in Tampa. “I can do it with an executive order or [emergency economic powers].”
This comes after TikTok has been accused of being a security threat from China, with whom tensions are currently high. ByteDance, the app’s parent company, has been accused of giving American users’ information to the country. Meanwhile, a Tik Tok spokesman assures that they are committed to their users’ privacy, saying that “TikTok US user data is stored in the US, with strict controls on employee access.”
The app could be saved from legal issues if the rumored acquisition by Microsoft comes to fruition. The two companies have had discussion and the deal is allegedly in the works, although Trump has voiced opposition to it.
The creators of Tik Tok have also reacted to the ban, and to the ongoing concern for data privacy on the app. One influencer, 18 year old Josh Richards is leaving the app due to the privacy issues after amassing more than 20 million followers on the app. He announces that he will transfer to rival app Triller instead, whose investors include Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and fellow Tik Tok stars like Griffin Johnson and Noah Beck. Other stars are simply just saying goodbye to the app in recent posts.
