The Biden administration is reviewing an attempted ban of WeChat, amid a broader review of the previous administration’s actions against Chinese platforms.
WeChat was one of a number of Chinese services the Trump administration tried to ban. Ultimately, a judge blocked the ban, in large part because of how important the app is to the Chinese community abroad.
“WeChat is effectively the only means of communication for many in the community, not only because China bans other apps, but also because Chinese speakers with limited English proficiency have no options other than WeChat,” wrote U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler in her order, according to NPR. She also likened WeChat to “a virtual public square for the Chinese-speaking and Chinese-American community.”
The Biden administration has been reviewing the actions taken against the various Chinese companies that the Trump administration accused of being a threat to national security. The current administration wants to make sure the purported threats warranted the actions taken.
According to ABC News, that includes reviewing the attempted ban against WeChat, just a day after the administration put a hold on the attempted TikTok ban. The announcement is good news for the Chinese-American community who rely on WeChat as a communication lifeline to friends and family in China.