White House revokes order against Chinese apps

TikTok and WeChat no longer face President Donald Trump’s attempted ban, but they aren’t in the clear yet. The White House on Wednesday dropped Trump’s executive orders targeting the apps, which were developed in China. But it also directed the Commerce Department to carry out an analysis of transactions involving apps manufactured, supplied, or controlled by the country. Courts had already blocked Trump’s orders.

What’s the long-term outlook? The Biden administration didn’t weigh in on whether the apps were actually safe and secure. The Commerce Department is supposed to make recommendations about how to protect Americans’ genetic and personal health information and address potential risks from foreign software. Last week, the Biden administration added more Chinese companies allegedly connected with military and surveillance to a list that prohibits Americans from investing in them.

Dig deeper: Read Kyle Ziemnick’s report in The Stew about the Trump administration’s fight with TikTok.