Following the TikTok ban, an Australian Senate committee has recommended that WeChat be banned from all Australian government devices. The move comes amid concerns that WeChat poses a national and personal security risk, suggesting that a nationwide ban of both apps may be considered.

The Associated Press reports that James Paterson, chairman of the Commission on Foreign Interference through Social Media, said Wednesday that the report's recommendations make Australia a more difficult target for the serious foreign interference risks it faces He stated. Click here to read the full report.

"The problems posed by authoritarian social media platforms such as TikTok and WeChat and Western-headquartered social media platforms that are weaponized by authoritarian government actions, including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter We are working on both," Patterson told reporters.

WeChat is owned by ByteDance. It is a very popular app in China. In addition to its core messaging functionality, it serves as a social media app, payment gateway, and gaming platform; TikTok is owned by Tencent, known for its gaming investments and subsidiaries, including Riot games and Epic Games.

Because Tencent and ByteDance are China-based companies, they are under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government and their apps are subject to censorship protocols and must share data with Chinese authorities. These provisions understandably make foreign governments nervous.

Australia is not the only country considering or implementing a ban; TikTok is banned from government devices in many European countries, most U.S. states, and Canada. In India, it is completely banned.

Australia's relationship with China, while generally one of engagement and cooperation, has become more volatile in recent years. China is Australia's largest trading partner, but there are growing concerns about its influence on Australia's domestic affairs. The overlapping spheres of influence between China and Australia and concerns about human rights issues remain a potential flashpoint.

As China's global influence grows and its high-tech industry continues to develop, tensions with the West can only increase. Tighter bans on the use of Chinese-made software are just one part of a developing technological conflict. Efforts to bolster domestic chip production and restrict sales of high-tech products to China are only part of what is developing into the Cold War of the 21st century. That is, if it hasn't already.