TikTok 'shocked' by US executive order and impending ban

Following President Trump's signing of an Executive Order that bans both TikTok and WeChat in the US from September 20, the former company has issued a statement saying it disagrees with the decision, and will "pursue all remedies."

"We are shocked by the recent Executive Order, which was issued without any due process," says the company in a statement on its website. "For nearly a year, we have sought to engage with the US government in good faith to provide a constructive solution to the concerns that have been expressed."

"What we encountered instead," it continues, "was that the Administration paid no attention to facts, dictated terms of an agreement without going through standard legal processes, and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses."

Saying that it has sought to work with the US to address "concerns that have been expressed," TikTok says that it has made available its "algorithm source code... which is a level of accountability no peer company has admitted to."

"This Executive Order risks undermining global businesses' trust in the United States' commitment to the rule of law, which has served as a magnet for investment and spurred decades of American economic growth," continues the statement. "And it sets a dangerous precedent for the concept of free expression and open markets."

"We will pursue all remedies available to us in order to ensure that the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and our users are treated fairly - if not by the Administration, then by the US courts," it says.

TikTok's point about negotiations "between private businesses," alludes to President Trump's comment that the US Treasury should receive a cut if Microsoft or any other American firm buys TikTok.

The new Executive Order also follows US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement of plans to create a "clean network," free of "untrusted Chinese apps." There has not yet been a comment from WeChat, which is also blocked from any transactions with US companies.