cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/12876226

The measure that sailed unanimously through the House Energy and Commerce Committee would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform — used by roughly 170 million Americans — is quickly spun off from its China-linked parent company, ByteDance.

US officials have cited the widespread commercial availability of US citizens’ data as another source of national security risk. The US government and other domestic law enforcement agencies are also known to have purchased US citizens’ data from commercial data brokers.

  • Verdant Banana@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    our minimum wage is $7.25, no universal health care, the cops are militarized and keeping citizens in their proper places, food/ housing costs are more than our pay, transportation costs have skyrocketed, the postal service needs attention, we have fifty states not working together

    but we showed that China TikTok what for BY GOD! they ain’t gonna spy on us

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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      9 months ago

      I am still semi convinced that the ban is really because there are a lot of tiktokers devoted to exposing trades and corruption of congress critters in near real time. Tiktok has a lot of flaws, but it’s great for finding breaking news.

      • ThrowawaySobriquet@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I’m there as well, but on a broader scale: I think they’re wanting to ban it because they don’t have a hotline to Xi so they can get shut shit down. Basically want it banned for doing the same things Google does, but the problem is it’s not run by their own Musk-on-a-Leash

    • soloner@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Fuck your whatsboutism. This is good news; tiktok is a propaganda machine.

      • TORFdot0@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        The cyber security professional inside of me wants to agree with you. The Liberal in me doesn’t want to give the government the authority to ban speech and what citizens are allowed to watch.

        • Mastengwe@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          It’s proven propaganda. And a proven method of spying/gathering info.

          I’m fine with the government removing it.

          • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            So you’re going to shut down YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc as well right? Considering they all do the same thing and FB even interfered in an election?

            • Mastengwe@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              If they start stealing information for china? Yes. I’d suggest we shut them down too.

              See? I’m not so reliant on social media that I’m willing to sacrifice my security for them.

              • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                Then do so. This idea that tiktok is any worse because it’s Chinese is ridiculous.

                • CeeBee@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  This idea that tiktok is any worse because it’s Chinese is ridiculous.

                  Either the propaganda is working or there’s no hope for any of us. And I’m not saying this facetiously.

                  The idea of a company in China versus in the West is very different. In the West a company has near complete autonomy within the confines of law in the democratic country it’s in. In China, a company is completely beholden to the will of the CCP. Smaller companies are not worth getting involved with, but larger companies like Bytedance and Baidu are effectively corporate offices of the CCP.

                  We’re talking about a communist dictatorship that’s constantly threatening Taiwan with invasion and death threats. Goes around the South China Sea harassing the countries there by attacking their military and civilian ships with high power water cannons. Putting nets and markers right up against those same countries, in some instances within 50 or so kilometers. Then there’s the ongoing genocide of the Uyghur people. The constant suppression of any negative news. The complete isolation of its people from accessing the internet or news from the rest of the world. It just goes on.

                  China is an adversarial power to Western nations and even many Asian ones.

                  The issue isn’t that Bytedance is simply Chinese. The issue is that China does not allow a single bit of information leaving its borders without its explicit say so. Which is why any Chinese company that conducts any business outside China has CCP officials stationed at the company’s offices and have to examine and approve everything that goes out.

                  • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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                    9 months ago

                    So what’s the difference between the CCP getting it for free from Tiktok and paying for it from an “American” corporation?

                    None of what you said matters in this. Not when Zuckerberg is specifically courting China to spend advertising dollars and buy data.

                    Is the money changing hands making the end effect any different?

                    TikTok is both a sacrifice to make it look like something is being done and a called hit on a competitor.

                • Mastengwe@lemm.ee
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                  9 months ago

                  The fact that you’re here defending china is not at all lost on me. I’m not allowing you to waste my time again.

                  • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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                    9 months ago

                    I’m really not. I want Congress to pass actual laws, not operate as an adjunct to American Corporations.

      • Specal@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Lemmy is also a propaganda machine, let’s ban this platform too then.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        So you’re going to shut down YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc as well right? Considering they all do the same thing and FB even interfered in an election?

      • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        so is instagram and facebook but you don’t see people rabidly want to ban them.

          • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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            9 months ago

            yes they are run by the us empire, which has a more violent history.

            still not seeing the point of banning one over the other

            • CeeBee@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              You’re just spouting whataboutism. It’s not an argument, it’s a deflection tactic.

              I have no love for Instagram or Facebook. IMO they should both be banned and have all data erased. The planet would be better off without them.

              But that’s not the topic of conversation.

              The US isn’t an adversarial country to itself. The CCP is an adversarial country to the US, and most of the world.

              which has a more violent history

              Ah yes, so the CCP is A-OK because you claim they have a “less violent history”. Makes perfect sense.

              Tell me, how many people died during the Long March and the “Great” Leap Forward?

              In any case, the bill is not about banning TikTok. The bill is about selling ownership of TikTok to a US owned firm to take away control from the CCP. And then only if a sale cannot be arranged, to ban it as a last resort.

              • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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                9 months ago

                the real enemy of the world is the US by a long shot. what the US does warrants invasions and wars on 3rd world countries by the US, the same isnt true for china.

                no country has such a dark and murderous history. my country is on that list and we are suffering from the consequences still, decades later.

                and yes, having people die of starvation in one of the poorest countries in the planet is sadly expected. no system of government can fix a country that huge overnight.

                banning shit like tiktok like you have a huge moral highground is hypocritical at best when US apps are doing it all around the planet.

                e: how could i forget the genocide you are sponsoring

    • GodlessCommie@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Those are the issues they dont want us collectively talking about, sharing our lived experiences and how they dont line up with the bullshit our government is gaslighting us with