Social-Media
Judge blocks the US ban on WeChat that is set to come into effect today
A California judge has halted the Commerce Department's ban on new downloads of the China-based WeChat messaging software, Reuters announced on Sunday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler said in her order that WeChat users have significant concerns on the merits of the First Amendment argument, the balance of hardship tips in the plaintiff's favour.
On Friday, the Commerce Department explained how the ban on WeChat and TikTok that President Trump had been warning for months would work: beginning today at midnight, US consumers would not be allowed to import applications from Apple and Google App Stores.
A tentative agreement appeared to be reached Saturday for a new TikTok entity, TikTok Global, part of a partnership with Oracle and Walmart, so the Commerce Department postponed the TikTok ban until September 27th. I have given the deal my blessing, the president said.
A coalition of WeChat users called themselves the WeChat Alliance filed a lawsuit last month, alleging that the ban would violate users' due process and freedom of expression rights. The complaint noted that the ban directly threatened Chinese-Americans, as WeChat is the main app used by Chinese-speakers in the U.S. to partake in social life by communicating with loved ones, exchanging special moments, debating thoughts, getting up-to-the-minute news, and engaging in political discussions and activism.
The WeChat Partnership is not formally affiliated with the group.
Beeler's temporary injunction also suspended the order of the Commerce Department that would have prevented US transactions on WeChat. And, while the US government has established "important" risks to national security, there is "scant little evidence that its successful ban on WeChat for all US users solves these issues," Beeler wrote.
The Commerce Department did not comment on Sunday immediately.
