Trump to block U.S. downloads of TikTok, WeChat on Sunday

[Klaralven]

The Commerce Department announced Friday morning that it would ban U.S. business transactions with Chinese-owned social apps WeChat and TikTok on Sunday.

The announcement comes ahead of an expected statement Friday by President Donald Trump on whether or not the government will approve a deal for Oracle to take a minority stake in TikTok and become a “trusted technology partner” for the company in the U.S.

It’s unclear if the Commerce Department’s announcement means there’s no possibility of a deal going through before the Sunday deadline, and it could be an aggressive move from the Trump Administration to push for its original intention for TikTok to be fully owned by a U.S. company.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/18/trump-to-block-us-downloads-of-tiktok-wechat-on-sunday-officials-tell-reuters.html

If it happens, a whole generation of teenagers will learn how to side-load apps.

[beachbumbob]

1. now lets get the kids registered to vote so they have a say in this

[C_U_L8R]

2. Apple and Google need to tell Trump to cram it.

What an awful precedent.

[33taw]

3. Now that's an election year strategy!!

[GemDigger]

4. I think he is having a temper tantrum for not being able to get a cut from the sale.

He thinks the "government" should get a cut but he also thinks that HE is the "government" and the cut should go to him.

[HipChick]

5. What's the actual plan to prevent the download?

Besides Orangecrush running his mouth?

[Klaralven]

7. The TikTok app would be removed from Google and Apple app stores

Android and Apple devices normally can only install apps from their respective stores.

However, at least for Android devices, the user can put device in "developer" mode and install apps from other sources. This is "side loading".

Ultimately, I suppose the US could install its own version of "The Great Firewall" and keep US devices from contacting TicTok and other servers outside the US. Then people have to use VPNs to set up tunnels, etc. as people in China already do.

[Budi]

6. Who profits from the hostile takeover?

Oracle has close ties to Trump.


Again, who profits?

["b]How much did politics play a role? Oracle's ties to Mr. Trump are deep."

There's more to this story than Trump's telling us.
As always, follow the money. Oracle was rewarded for supporting Trump.
Oracle wanted to be a player like Microsoft.
Oracle wanted TikTok & Trump strong-armed a deal.
Question is: How much is Trump's cut in the deal?


FROM NY TIMES:

Is This How the TikTok Saga Ends?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/09/14/business/dealbook/tiktok-oracle-deal.amp.html

SNIP
And then there was Oracle?
• As Andrew notes, Oracle’s bid resembles Microsoft’s original proposal of serving as a technology partner and minority owner — something that President Trump rejected, saying that TikTok’s U.S. arm had to be sold altogether.

How much did politics play a role?

Oracle’s ties to Mr. Trump are deep. Its co-founder, Larry Ellison, has raised money for Mr. Trump, while its C.E.O., Safra Catz, was the only major tech executive to serve on the president’s transition team.
Last month, Mr. Trump publicly supported Oracle’s efforts, calling it a “great company.”

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