Donald Trump has announced that he is banning Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok in the US.
He told reporters he could sign an executive order as early as Saturday, reports BBC.
US security officials have expressed concern that the app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, could be used to collect the personal data of Americans. A similar concern was raised before India banned the app in late June.
The app has up to 80 million active monthly users in America and the ban would be a major blow for ByteDance.
"As far as TikTok is concerned, we're banning them from the United States," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
TikTok spokesperson Hilary McQuaide declined to comment on the move but said the company was "confident in the long-term success of TikTok", according to the Washington Post.
In late June India's government banned TikTok and dozens more Chinese-made apps it says are a danger to the country. In a statement, Delhi said the apps were "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".
India is TikTok's biggest foreign market, with an estimated 120 million users. With its growth, it has faced accusations of links to the Chinese state, and of sending user data into China. Many of its strongest critics are in the US.
In total, India banned 59 apps including WeChat. The move came following escalating tensions along the disputed border between India and China.
India's Ministry of Information Technology said it was banning the Chinese apps after receiving "many complaints from various sources" about apps that were "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner".
mj/
