US withdraws orders that banned downloads of WeChat and TikTok

United States President Joe Biden is withdrawing a series of executive orders that sought to ban new downloads of WeChat and TikTok.
Beeline smartphone customers in RussiaCommerce Department will also undertake a review of security concerns posed by WeChat and TikTok apps, the White House said.

The administration of former President Donald Trump attempted to block new users from downloading the apps and ban other technical transactions that Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat both said would effectively block the apps’ use in the United States. The courts blocked those orders that never took effect.

Joe Biden’s new executive order revokes the WeChat and TikTok orders, along with another in January that targeted eight other communications and financial technology software applications.

A separate U.S. national security review of TikTok remains ongoing, a White House official said.