In recent months, the Chinese video-sharing social networking service TikTok has gone from harmless distraction to bona fide political issue. The latest news on the platform is particularly incendiary; the Commerce Department plans to ban TikTok—as well as messaging app WeChat—starting on Sunday. Below, get all the information on the ban, as well as what’s made TikTok a target of the Trump administration.
What sparked Trump’s ban?
Trump’s fraught history with TikTok goes back to July, when the president announced plans to ban TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps due to alleged national security concerns. Trump signed an order banning TikTok on August 6, and that order goes into effect at midnight on Sunday, September 20. Per the order, any transactions between TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and U.S. citizens will be outlawed.
How will the ban work, exactly?
According to a Friday statement from the Commerce Department, any moves to distribute or maintain WeChat or TikTok on a U.S. app store will be prohibited.
Will I still be able to use TikTok?
It’s slightly complicated; users who have already downloaded the app might be able to continue using it, but they wont be able to download updates. “The only real change as of Sunday night will be [TikTok users] won’t have access to improved apps, updated apps, upgraded apps or maintenance,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. In terms of how user access will change, we’ll likely have to wait and see.
How has TikTok responded to the ban?
“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,” said TikTok spokesperson Josh Gartner in a recent statement.
Is there any hope of getting U.S. access to TikTok back?
Yes, if TikTok ends up being acquired by American software maker Oracle. Trump has given until Nov. 12 for TikTok’s national security concerns to be resolved, and if they are, it’s possible that the prohibitions in the order could be lifted. However, at this point it’s still unclear what an Oracle-owned version of TikTok would look like.
This story originally appeared on Vogue.
