Trump claimed the apps pose risks to national security, citing concerns about data privacy and censorship. Tencent has long faced accusations of censorship and surveillance, making WeChat a poster child for the privacy and free speech concerns often expressed about some Chinese apps. But cutting it off entirely from the US would come with its own costs for American and Chinese users. Its treatment also raises questions about whether Washington could ever trust a Chinese app of its scale. The extent to which WeChat collects information, meanwhile, has long raised security concerns — as has Tencent's close relationship to the Chinese Communist Party.

Source: CNN August 16, 2020 00:11 UTC