US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday, 6 July, that the country is "certainly looking at" banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok, Reuters reported.
"I don't want to get out in front of the President (Donald Trump), but it's something we're looking at," he was quoted as saying in an interview to Fox News.
His comments come after India banned 59 Chinese-owned apps in a move that came amid tensions between India and China along the LAC in the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clash that left 20 Indian Army personnel dead.
The Indian government had said that the banned apps, including TikTok, had "engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”
Invoking Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2008, the press statement had cited threats to privacy of users and data security as the prime reasons to block public access to these apps.
TikTok Stopping App Operation in Hong Kong
Meanwhile, TikTok on Monday said that it is stopping its popular video snippet-sharing app from working in Hong Kong due to "recent events", AFP reported.
"In light of recent events, we've decided to stop operations of the TikTok app in Hong Kong," it told the news agency.
This comes days after China enacted a controversial law that would allow authorities to clamp down on those involved in 'subversive and secessionist activity' in the semi-autonomous region of Hong Kong.
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