> Judge Beeler, sitting in San Francisco, noted that "while the general evidence about the threat to national security related to China (regarding technology and mobile technology) is considerable, the specific evidence about WeChat is modest".<p>I understand the presidential prerogative for national security. I also understand it’s the judges who get to check said authority.<p>In this case it’s pretty interesting. The judge admits there is evidence, but not overwhelming so limits authority over wechat. However, we know (for a fact) China effectively forces every one of its citizens (and visitors) on wechat[1]. Honestly, the evidence is probably more solid for wechat there than other apps.<p>Personally, I bet this wasn’t explicitly based on just evidence. Wechat is also the only way many Chinese communicate with family members back home, transfer funds, etc. I suspect it’s also the damage it’ll cause.<p>In any case, I suspect this will be overturned as spying on communications by a foreign power IS a big security risk. Further, particularly with wechat, it seems like a way to capture communications of other people (who don’t use the app, but message people who do).<p>[1] <a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/wechat-spying-on-foreigners/" rel="nofollow">https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/wechat-spying-on-foreig...</a>
Even if you agree that China needs to be checked in its aggressive use of technology for state purposes (which I partly agree with, but not without saying that the US is not innocent of that activity either), at least let's not be naive about it.<p>Don't think that the banning of apps was a well-reasoned decision with careful justification about the causes, potential, solutions, and impacts on US economics and society. It was a guy asking "what can we do to create some leverage over this adversary I don't like? (and was just told about yesterday)"<p>Don't deceive yourself that this is some step in a principled fight. If it were that, we'd have slapped tariffs/embargoes and more on Russia a couple of years ago. We'd be implementing measures against Venezuela, Myanmar, North Korea, a whole host of countries doing similar or worse. I haven't heard a peep about those.<p>It's not good when government operates on a whim. The same hammer may swing against you next time, with equally poor justification, which you created support for.<p>Don't deceive yourself about what principle (and person) you're getting behind.
Its funny how US acts innocent while Facebook is caught everyday doing shady stuff and google literally sniffs data out of majority of Androids and both of them have connections with Military of US.
I'm wondering how principled network security between two large nations that distrust each other would even work? Let's say the US and Soviet Union on an alternate timeline.<p>It seems like they would have separate industries for building hardware and wouldn't allow code to be shipped across the border without a security review.
[Edit: Apologies, I got We Chat and Tik Tok confused...]<p>What seems outrageous to me is that this seems like simple retribution for Tik Tok users getting one over on the president [1].<p>So then Tik Tok tries to find a US partner, and actively searches for a Trump-supporting company, finding a partner in Oracle [2].<p>This seems like a corrosive use of power, an exercise in vindictive narcissism.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/21/trump-tulsa-rally-scheme-k-pop-fans-tiktok-users" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/21/trump-tulsa-...</a>
[2] <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/19/21437850/president-trump-approves-oracle-tiktok-partnership-bytedance-china-ban" rel="nofollow">https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/19/21437850/president-trump-...</a>