The US government on Wednesday passed an executive order (EO) that revokes the previous administration's order banning TikTok, WeChat, and other Chinese apps and lays out new steps to protect Americans’ sensitive data from foreign adversaries. The new order, which expands upon the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13873 of May 15, 2019, does not name specific companies, but rather provides a framework for protecting Americans’ data from "foreign adversaries", namely China. "The Biden Administration is committed to promoting an open, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet; protecting human rights online and offline; and supporting a vibrant, global digital economy. Certain countries, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC), do not share these values and seek to leverage digital technologies and Americans’ data in ways that present unacceptable national security risks while advancing authoritarian controls and interests." - US government executive order This EO comes a week after the US government passed a different executive order expanding the ban on Americans investing in Chinese companies with purported ties to China’s military to cover companies in the surveillance technology sector. What does the new order propose? Evaluate threats posed by foreign apps: Alleging that "foreign adversaries" continue to steal US persons' data and pose "an extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States," the new EO directs the Department of Commerce to "use of a criteria-based decision framework and rigorous, evidence-based analysis to address the risks" posed by apps and services that are developed, owned, or controlled by…
