President Donald Trump had claimed that he will make moves to ban the social media app TikTok in the US.
The short-form video service has become a cultural phenomenon over the last few years and has propelled numerous songs up the charts, including The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights', Jason Derulo's 'Savage Love' and Saint Jhn's 'Roses'.
The app, which has around 80 million active users in the USA, is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance and there are fears that data collected about American users could be passed on to the Chinese government.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Trump declared: "As far as TikTok is concerned, we're banning them from the United States."
Pressed on exactly how he might ban the app and enforce that ban, he replied: "Well, I have that authority."
Under Chinese law, Chinese firms are required to co-operate fully with the government if requested to do so - including the sharing of data - but a spokesperson for TikTok insisted that the firm would resist any attempts at interference from Beijing.
"TikTok US user data is stored in the US, with strict controls on employee access," they told CNN. "TikTok's biggest investors come from the US.
"We are committed to protecting our users' privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform."
The Indian government have already banned TikTok due to security concerns, while in the UK, ministers are believed to be giving consideration to following suit.
Neil Wilkes
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