The United States Department of Justice has filed for an immediate ban of WeChat from the US app stores with Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler.
The case is currently tried in court and on Saturday Judge Beeler has stated that an immediate ban would affect the First Amendment rights of users in response to a request for a ban from the Commerce Department.
Early Sunday, the U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler blocked the Commerce Department from requiring Apple and Google to remove WeChat for downloads. The judge issued a preliminary injunction at the request of the U.S. WeChat Users Alliance.
The preliminary injunction also blocked the order barring other transactions with WeChat in the United States that could have degraded the site’s usability for current U.S. users.
Chinese-owned mobile apps TikTok and WeChat will be banned from all U.S. app stores, so the Trump administration on Friday. The ban, which will take effect on Sunday, will affect over 100 million people in the U.S. who are using the apps. The executive order prohibits any distribution or maintenance of TikTok and WeChat.
Further it will be illegal to host or transfer internet traffic associated with WeChat on Sunday and with TikTok on November 12. This means that WeChat will be shut down in the U.S. as of midnight Monday while TikTok will still function but can't be updated.
"As to TikTok, the only real change as of Sunday night will be users won’t have access to improved updated apps, upgraded apps or maintenance," so Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "Today's actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party."
TikTok has declined to comment, so the New York Times. Oracle hasn't responded yet.
The Ministry of Information Technology of India announced Monday the ban of 59 Chinese mobile applications, including TikTok and WeChat. In a press release, the Ministry, states the ban is a response "of the emergent nature of threats" and that the apps "are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.".
At the moment, all listed apps are still available on Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store, and it is not clear how the Indian Government plans to enforce the ban.