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People seem to forget that China is a fully authoritarian state. The fact is that China is an adversary and blocks virtually every western social network, inclu

People seem to forget that China is a fully authoritarian state. The fact is that China is an adversary and blocks virtually every western social network, including YouTube, Instagram, and Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_websites_blocked_in_mainland_China https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_websites_blocked_in_ma... The CCP has absolute authority over internal companies to bend them to their will, and regularly disappears political dissidents including tech leaders like Jack Ma. TikTok has over 150 million users in the United States, skewing young. We have seen the massive misinformation campaigns from other adversaries like Russia, with the goal of sowing dissent and malcontent. All it takes is leaning on the algorithmic levers. Today the controversy may be over the issue you are passionate about, tomorrow it will a different issue, the only thing that matters is that TikTok is an open door to unduly influence public opinion in America. The immense scale of data collection, from personal information to location tracking data, is also a clear concern. Anyone that thinks it is reasonable for a geopolitical rival to control this company, especially a country known to reach its hand deep into company policy, is incredibly naive and self-sabotaging. TikTok must be banned or fully controlled by a US based company.

saaaaaam 9mo ago
It’s funny because as a European when you wrote “Anyone that thinks it is reasonable for a geopolitical rival to control this company, especially a country known to reach its hand deep into company policy, is incredibly naive and self-sabotaging.” I thought “yeah, when you put it like that it would be AWFUL for the Trump administration to own it. And then I read the next line and realised you meant China.
- Seattle3503 9mo ago
  Its a valid concern. I wish a viable European bidder had stepped forward. It would be nice if at least on major social network was EU based.
pixelatedindex 9mo ago
> the only thing that matters is that TikTok is an open door to unduly influence public opinion in America. The immense scale of data collection, from personal information to location tracking data, is also a clear concern. I understand where you’re coming from - “they ban us so we’ll ban you” is a valid sentiment. But this grandstanding is like slapping a bandaid on a leaky tub and calling it “Job done”. I’m almost being transported to the 1940s with this McCarthy-lite take. Everything that TikTok is doing is being done by Meta, Snap, Instagram, etc. If it’s not done through TikTok it’ll be done somewhere else. But sure, instead of passing real privacy laws let’s just also be authoritarian - I’m sure that’ll solve the problem.
- mistersquid 9mo ago
  > Everything that TikTok is doing is being done by Meta, Snap, Instagram, etc. If it’s not done through TikTok it’ll be done somewhere else. Meta, Snap, Instagram (i.e. Meta), are US-based media companies and subject to US regulation and jurisprudence. TikTok operates under the jurisdiction of authoritarian adversary. This undue foreign influence is the sticking point, not merely the massive media sway.
  - esperent 9mo ago
    TikTok operates in the US, so they are operating under US jurisdiction and subject to the same regulations as US companies. The main difference is political pressure, not legal. US companies will bend the knee to Trump, Chinese companies will do so to Xi. Both of these leaders are authoritarian, but Trump's government is also fascist. However Xi's government is more experienced and successful. I don't know which is worse, honestly. I mean, at this exact second, China is obviously a more authoritarian state, but the US is riding a bullet train into fascism. So who knows what things will look like in a few years?
  - pjc50 9mo ago
    > Meta, Snap, Instagram (i.e. Meta), are US-based media companies and subject to US regulation and jurisprudence Increasingly, this is an argument for the EU banning them. Especially Twitter.
deleted 9mo ago
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brewtide 9mo ago
My power company (I'm located in New England) is owned by some Spanish company, but not many people see any problems with that, either.
beeflet 9mo ago
This isn't china, we don't need to engage in this race to the bottom. Banning foreign websites violates the 1st amendment.

saaaaaam 9mo ago

It’s funny because as a European when you wrote “Anyone that thinks it is reasonable for a geopolitical rival to control this company, especially a country known to reach its hand deep into company policy, is incredibly naive and self-sabotaging.” I thought “yeah, when you put it like that it would be AWFUL for the Trump administration to own it. And then I read the next line and realised you meant China.

Seattle3503 9mo ago
Its a valid concern. I wish a viable European bidder had stepped forward. It would be nice if at least on major social network was EU based.

pixelatedindex 9mo ago

> the only thing that matters is that TikTok is an open door to unduly influence public opinion in America. The immense scale of data collection, from personal information to location tracking data, is also a clear concern. I understand where you’re coming from - “they ban us so we’ll ban you” is a valid sentiment. But this grandstanding is like slapping a bandaid on a leaky tub and calling it “Job done”. I’m almost being transported to the 1940s with this McCarthy-lite take. Everything that TikTok is doing is being done by Meta, Snap, Instagram, etc. If it’s not done through TikTok it’ll be done somewhere else. But sure, instead of passing real privacy laws let’s just also be authoritarian - I’m sure that’ll solve the problem.

mistersquid 9mo ago
> Everything that TikTok is doing is being done by Meta, Snap, Instagram, etc. If it’s not done through TikTok it’ll be done somewhere else. Meta, Snap, Instagram (i.e. Meta), are US-based media companies and subject to US regulation and jurisprudence. TikTok operates under the jurisdiction of authoritarian adversary. This undue foreign influence is the sticking point, not merely the massive media sway.
- esperent 9mo ago
  TikTok operates in the US, so they are operating under US jurisdiction and subject to the same regulations as US companies. The main difference is political pressure, not legal. US companies will bend the knee to Trump, Chinese companies will do so to Xi. Both of these leaders are authoritarian, but Trump's government is also fascist. However Xi's government is more experienced and successful. I don't know which is worse, honestly. I mean, at this exact second, China is obviously a more authoritarian state, but the US is riding a bullet train into fascism. So who knows what things will look like in a few years?
- pjc50 9mo ago
  > Meta, Snap, Instagram (i.e. Meta), are US-based media companies and subject to US regulation and jurisprudence Increasingly, this is an argument for the EU banning them. Especially Twitter.

deleted 9mo ago

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brewtide 9mo ago

My power company (I'm located in New England) is owned by some Spanish company, but not many people see any problems with that, either.

beeflet 9mo ago

This isn't china, we don't need to engage in this race to the bottom. Banning foreign websites violates the 1st amendment.