TikTok Could Face US Ban Unless Chinese Owners Sell Stake

[deevey]

A few years ago US (NSA) was caught red handed listening in on talks between european leaders telephone calls.

I think its a fair assumption that they're probably still doing that somehow. Actually I think that intelligence agencies in US will do whatever it takes to "stay informed" about whatever is going on anywhere in the world.

So yes - we can ban TikTok and if I was a leading a country I would not have any kinds of SoMe apps installed on my workphone, no matter what country they were made in.

Looking at how different super powers are positioning them self around the world with military presence, I think its puzzling that the US is so afraid about what other countries are doing. But this is a democracy and what we all say goes... 🤷‍♂️

Its not about just listening in. It's about influencing an entire generation with ideals that benefit a foreign nation.

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt the US and other western countries would pull the same strings on Chinese citizens if it were possible - but currently it's advantage China as the great firewall prevents it.

They play a much longer game over there than any government in the west (with their relatively short political terms and internal bickering) is capable of.

 

[ninecows]

Its not about just listening in. It's about influencing an entire generation with ideals that benefit a foreign nation.

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt the US and other western countries would pull the same strings on Chinese citizens if it were possible - but currently it's advantage China as the great firewall prevents it.

They play a much longer game over there than any government in the west (with their relatively short political terms and internal bickering) is capable of.

So are you saying they’re smarter than us? Could be since TikTok is flooded with Flat Earthers and cinnamon challenge… 🤦🏼‍♂️😂

Look at suicidal rates and teenagers with psychological problems or just stress. That’s SoMe doing it. TikTok is just the new kid on the block. Is it worse than the older things? Possibly.

But are we talking about TikTok as a risk for politicians/governments, potentially leaking confidential information? Or as a risk for the mental health of teenagers?

The latter is a huge problem, but that goes for any social media based on likes.

Edit: even mac rumors has a like/reaction button. And what’s the first thing you check? Did people react to your post. And will you be accepted by your peers.

 

[ninecows]

Its not about just listening in. It's about influencing an entire generation with ideals that benefit a foreign nation.

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt the US and other western countries would pull the same strings on Chinese citizens if it were possible - but currently it's advantage China as the great firewall prevents it.

They play a much longer game over there than any government in the west (with their relatively short political terms and internal bickering) is capable of.

Btw… I’m not on TikTok myself. Neither Facebook nor Twitter or any of the other big ones. So I’m just guessing on what’s mostly happening on SoMe. I used to be on Twitter and was too fast dragged into a rabbit hole of being served tweets that I would react with and spend time on. It’s pretty clear how those algorithms can polarize people into civil war.

Do we have any examples of videos (apart from flat earth and young earth creationists) that will influence young people negatively?

I’m not talking left vs right wing here because that’s politics/opinions and without true/false. But stuff that might push people towards totalitarianism and away from democratic principles.

 

[fourthtunz]

I'm supportive of any move that'll hopefully lead to kids stop using this terrible app.

Heh its not kids! I have have adult friends that send me Tic tok links all the time.
Not my thing.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Interesting.

I assume you are technically right, but it ultimately amounts to a de facto ban.

Otherwise, why would all these social networks that want more users just "decide" to not enter the world's biggest market?

Google left voluntarily in 2010 when they decided to not comply with censorship. Facebook left in 2009 because they wouldn’t agree to a government request for information on Uyghur separatists after violent rioting and stabbings in Ürümqi that year.

Some companies never entered the market in the first place because there are costs associated with compliance like keeping data separate and content moderation, along with bad PR in other markets where they would be accused of contributing to censorship. That, coupled with the fact that a lot of western social media were already being squeezed out by local competitors probably contributes a lot to these decisions. It’s pretty well known that Facebook and Google (project dragonfly) both had internal plans to re-enter the Chinese market but ultimately gave up.

 

[MacProFCP]

Not sure I understood your point

I'm just being sarcastic regarding how social media limits free speech on their platforms.

 

[groove-agent]

Do you think the world would be a better place without social media?

 

[deevey]

So are you saying they’re smarter than us? Could be since TikTok is flooded with Flat Earthers and cinnamon challenge… 🤦🏼‍♂️😂

If you are uneducated, misinformed, or just plain lazy it makes no difference how smart you are. I don't believe that Kids (outside of creators) that are spending a 3-4 hours a day browsing and reacting to social media content vs will achieve as much as ones limited to 40 mins a day in the long term.

Look at suicidal rates and teenagers with psychological problems or just stress. That’s SoMe doing it. TikTok is just the new kid on the block. Is it worse than the older things? Possibly.

But are we talking about TikTok as a risk for politicians/governments, potentially leaking confidential information? Or as a risk for the mental health of teenagers?

Teenagers now are adults in a couple of years. Influence the youth and you can split a nation in the future based on the ideals that are introduced to each individual by an algorithm. Having one potentially un-friendly nation controlling the narrative of another in this way is a national security issue, and should be treated as such.

As for leakage of confidential information by government officials ? ... IMHO it's simply a reasonable excuse to further scrutinize the app, it's company ownership and who the data is actually being shared with. But probably not the worst threat it (or other apps like it) pose to national security.

The latter is a huge problem, but that goes for any social media based on likes.

Both are a huge problem. Personally I reckon the lack of social interaction, lack of physical communication and, loudest-voice = truth mentality will be major issues the world will face in the next 10-15 years.

 

[jtopp]

Why are they focused so much on this one app? Especially when you have whole computer companies that are partially owned by the Chinese government (like Lenovo). Much of our electronic devices are made inside of China. Many of the components of...well, everything... are also made there. But it's TikTok that's the focus?

Because the Chinese government has total control over every business or company. The tik took app has users giving permission to have access over your whole phone so thus giving the Chinese access tho everything. So it can be used for spying why you are doing a dumb dance routine or watching one.

 

[GuilleA]

Even China's TikTok content is widely different than the rest of the world's.

“It’s almost like Bytedance recognize that technology’s influencing kids’ development, and they make their domestic version a spinach TikTok, while they ship the opium version to the rest of the world,” says Tristan Harris.

 

[Detnator]

I just visited the states and I can say without doubt that Waffle House and Hardee’s and similar places will kill their bodies before TikTok kills their brains.

What brains?

 

[ian87w]

Even China's TikTok content is widely different than the rest of the world's.

I question this. Don't they know what algorithm is? Go to Youtube, IG, twitter, snapchat, etc, and start searching and watching cr@p, and you'll be served more of those. Search and watch educational videos, and you'll be served more of educational videos.

 

[GuilleA]

I question this. Don't they know what algorithm is? Go to Youtube, IG, twitter, snapchat, etc, and start searching and watching cr@p, and you'll be served more of those. Search and watch educational videos, and you'll be served more of educational videos.

Not if the goverment controls the algorithm. China's TikTok content is highly controlled, the algo just doesn't pick and choose on its own, it's heavily influenced by what the government wants you to see. In this case, they don't want younger children to be completely brainwashed by stupid crap. This is all intentional btw, China's mindset is to educate its youth and align them with their agenda, and at the same time, turn the western civilization into a mindless horde.

 

[ninecows]

Not if the goverment controls the algorithm. China's TikTok content is highly controlled, the algo just doesn't pick and choose on its own, it's heavily influenced by what the government wants you to see. In this case, they don't want younger children to be completely brainwashed by stupid crap. This is all intentional btw, China's mindset is to educate its youth and align them with their agenda, and at the same time, turn the western civilization into a mindless horde.

Whereas we in the west are totally free to be brainwashed and dumbed down into believing that the earth is flat and 6000 years old… sometimes I fear that Idiocracy is not only a movie.

 

[GuilleA]

Whereas we in the west are totally free to be brainwashed and dumbed down into believing that the earth is flat and 6000 years old… sometimes I fear that Idiocracy is not only a movie.

Sadly it isn’t.

 

[ian87w]

Not if the goverment controls the algorithm. China's TikTok content is highly controlled, the algo just doesn't pick and choose on its own, it's heavily influenced by what the government wants you to see. In this case, they don't want younger children to be completely brainwashed by stupid crap. This is all intentional btw, China's mindset is to educate its youth and align them with their agenda, and at the same time, turn the western civilization into a mindless horde.

That’s speculation. There has to be an actual test, not just speculation. Cr@p contents are plentiful in other social media platforms.