The US ban on Chinese-owned apps WeChat and TikTok sets up a pivotal legal challenge on digital free expression with important ramifications for the global internet ecosystem.
"It's a mistake to think of this as a sanction on TikTok and WeChat. It's a serious restriction on the First Amendment rights of US citizens and residents," said Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. TikTok is expected to function through November 12, the deadline set under an executive order by Trump, but users would not be able to download updates to the video app.
"It will encourage other countries to retaliate against American companies and raise their own security concerns against foreign firms. The result could be several different internets based on the country of origin." Legal challenges have been filed by TikTok and WeChat users in the United States seeking to block the expected shutdowns.