The Ban

[DeeDave]

There seems to be support, and non-support on all sides.

I realize TikTok is ultimately owned by China because of their relationship with the ByteDance.

My opinion is the fear is overblown. I am no expert on Tiktok. But I had my 16 year old sit down last night and show me her feed and we talked about it. I saw nothing on there that I don't see on Facebook- except there were more videos.

However, I saw way more sports videos, cat videos, and prank videos, and videos of people cooking, and videos of people working on home projects, and kids at football and basketball games screaming in the stands that I would like to see. So, I am glad I don't have an account myself.

I understand that LOTS of people use it to make money, to sell items, to promote various projects, etc..... politicians use it.

I am unclear as to why they are singled out for "banning" from Congress or be forced to sell the company. I see them doing the same things that other companies (Facebook, Google, Tesla, GM, Apple, etc) that do business directly with China are already doing. Encouraging parental controls? yes. Sharing illegal content? Of course that should be against the law. Banning government employees at all levels (even local) or even government contractors from downloading it? I have no issue with that.

It sure seems like politicians from all sides are using this for their own selfish purposes.

Trump wanted it banned. Then he meets with a billionaire donor who invests in the company and he suddenly changes his mind.

Biden wants to sign a bill and ban it, but then his own campaign creates an account and Biden uses it while banning other government employees.

Politicians on both sides suddenly changing their mind, etc.

This seems to be something the government should stay out of and let parents, individuals, businesses and private companies do as they will without the government "banning" something. (Again, have no issue with government banning use on government phones and devices- even for federal and state contractors)

 

[turncock]

There seems to be support, and non-support on all sides.

I realize TikTok is ultimately owned by China because of their relationship with the ByteDance.

My opinion is the fear is overblown. I am no expert on Tiktok. But I had my 16 year old sit down last night and show me her feed and we talked about it. I saw nothing on there that I don't see on Facebook- except there were more videos.

However, I saw way more sports videos, cat videos, and prank videos, and videos of people cooking, and videos of people working on home projects, and kids at football and basketball games screaming in the stands that I would like to see. So, I am glad I don't have an account myself.

I understand that LOTS of people use it to make money, to sell items, to promote various projects, etc..... politicians use it.

I am unclear as to why they are singled out for "banning" from Congress or be forced to sell the company. I see them doing the same things that other companies (Facebook, Google, Tesla, GM, Apple, etc) that do business directly with China are already doing. Encouraging parental controls? yes. Sharing illegal content? Of course that should be against the law. Banning government employees at all levels (even local) or even government contractors from downloading it? I have no issue with that.

It sure seems like politicians from all sides are using this for their own selfish purposes.

Trump wanted it banned. Then he meets with a billionaire donor who invests in the company and he suddenly changes his mind.

Biden wants to sign a bill and ban it, but then his own campaign creates an account and Biden uses it while banning other government employees.

Politicians on both sides suddenly changing their mind, etc.

This seems to be something the government should stay out of and let parents, individuals, businesses and private companies do as they will without the government "banning" something. (Again, have no issue with government banning use on government phones and devices- even for federal and state contractors)

It's government censorship and the bill was written with expansive language which could be applied to other social media companies. Younger people aren't watching mainstream news hardly at all and that's a great concern for some "leaders." It's the same thing they were doing with Twitter and Facebook which Musk and Zuckerberg have both spoken at length about. This disclosure of the Twitter Files displayed how crazy it got which included blatant election interference. (Laptop)

 

[DeeDave]

It's government censorship and the bill was written with expansive language which could be applied to other social media companies.

I agree it's government censorship- or at attempt at it. Just don't see how that's legal.

I have no issue with the government or anyone else encouraging responsible social media use- encouraging parents to do their job, etc..

But forcing the company to sell or it's banned seems like way way way overreach.

If we do this, I can see other countries trying to take over American companies. I know it's not quite the same with the way the Chinese ultimately own TikTok, but that won't stand in their way. Maybe China tries to take over or force Apple to sell their Chinese operations to China, or Boeing to sell their Southeast Asia operations to a China business.

The Chinese already accuse all sorts of American companies of spying on them. Maybe they do. Maybe they don't.

But I don't think this back and forth would be helpful.

 

[turncock]

I agree it's government censorship- or at attempt at it. Just don't see how that's legal.

I have no issue with the government or anyone else encouraging responsible social media use- encouraging parents to do their job, etc..

But forcing the company to sell or it's banned seems like way way way overreach.

If we do this, I can see other countries trying to take over American companies. I know it's not quite the same with the way the Chinese ultimately own TikTok, but that won't stand in their way. Maybe China tries to take over or force Apple to sell their Chinese operations to China, or Boeing to sell their Southeast Asia operations to a China business.

The Chinese already accuse all sorts of American companies of spying on them. Maybe they do. Maybe they don't.

But I don't think this back and forth would be helpful.

Agree. IMO, the China spying fear thing is just misdirection for censorship. If that was actually the concern, have the developers pull out the lines of spy code in question and let the APP continue on. That's not the answer they are looking for though.

 

[cockofdawn]

Just look at how TikTok has "Brainwashed" kids into thinking Hamas is legitimate and was correct in massacring Hundreds of innocent Jewish civilians, DO YOU Honestly do you not think China will try and Influence our elections?? TikTok needs to go, or be ran by Americans!!

 

[DeeDave]

Just look at how TikTok has "Brainwashed" kids into thinking Hamas is legitimate and was correct in massacring Hundreds of innocent Jewish civilians, DO YOU Honestly do you not think China will try and Influence our elections?? TikTok needs to go, or be ran by Americans!!

Explain how only TikTok brainwashes kids. Define brainwash.

As Rand Paul said today, if that's the standard, might as well ban cable news, every social media app, hundreds or even thousands of influencers, hundreds of organizations.

Of course China will try. North Korea will try. Iran will try. Russia will try. Heck, even more will try. But they won't stop with a Tiktok ban and they'll use more efficient and effective means than 1 social media app.

It's not the governments job to prevent political/social brainwashing.

 

[cockofdawn]

Explain how only TikTok brainwashes kids. Define brainwash.

As Rand Paul said today, if that's the standard, might as well ban cable news, every social media app, hundreds or even thousands of influencers, hundreds of organizations.

Of course China will try. North Korea will try. Iran will try. Russia will try. Heck, even more will try. But they won't stop with a Tiktok ban and they'll use more efficient and effective means than 1 social media app.

It's not the governments job to prevent political/social brainwashing.

If you dont know, Nevermind

 

[DeeDave]

If you dont know, Nevermind

No, I don't know how only TikTok brainwashes kids.

I'd like to be educated on how only they do it. I'd appreciate the lesson.

Can't believe I'm mentioning Rand Paul, but he believes it's unconstitutional

“If you believe there’s a national exemption to the Constitution then you believe that Fox News could be shut down, that Twitter could be shut down. That’s a terrible thing to believe.”- Rand Paul

 

[cockofdawn]

It is obvious by 92% of the Tik Tom post being anti- Israel. This explains why college campuses are protesting in favor of the murderous barbarians of Hamas!!

 

[ElectricalCock89]

I do not like TikTok. Especially when it’s Chinese owned and known to have negative aspects. In the US, we have degeneracy. In China, they have academic focus and no idiocy.

 

[cockofdawn]

I do not like TikTok. Especially when it’s Chinese owned and known to have negative aspects. In the US, we have degeneracy. In China, they have academic focus and no idiocy.

China citizens aren’t even allowed the Tik Tok they feed our youth!!

 

[WDMULTIMAN]

There seems to be support, and non-support on all sides.

I realize TikTok is ultimately owned by China because of their relationship with the ByteDance.

My opinion is the fear is overblown. I am no expert on Tiktok. But I had my 16 year old sit down last night and show me her feed and we talked about it. I saw nothing on there that I don't see on Facebook- except there were more videos.

However, I saw way more sports videos, cat videos, and prank videos, and videos of people cooking, and videos of people working on home projects, and kids at football and basketball games screaming in the stands that I would like to see. So, I am glad I don't have an account myself.

I understand that LOTS of people use it to make money, to sell items, to promote various projects, etc..... politicians use it.

I am unclear as to why they are singled out for "banning" from Congress or be forced to sell the company. I see them doing the same things that other companies (Facebook, Google, Tesla, GM, Apple, etc) that do business directly with China are already doing. Encouraging parental controls? yes. Sharing illegal content? Of course that should be against the law. Banning government employees at all levels (even local) or even government contractors from downloading it? I have no issue with that.

It sure seems like politicians from all sides are using this for their own selfish purposes.

Trump wanted it banned. Then he meets with a billionaire donor who invests in the company and he suddenly changes his mind.

Biden wants to sign a bill and ban it, but then his own campaign creates an account and Biden uses it while banning other government employees.

Politicians on both sides suddenly changing their mind, etc.

This seems to be something the government should stay out of and let parents, individuals, businesses and private companies do as they will without the government "banning" something. (Again, have no issue with government banning use on government phones and devices- even for federal and state contractors)

There is something in the software that makes the users of Tick Tock wide open to be hacked, as I understand it. If they wanted to clean out millions of bank accounts, the users would be just S.O.L.

 

[turncock]

Just look at how TikTok has "Brainwashed" kids into thinking Hamas is legitimate and was correct in massacring Hundreds of innocent Jewish civilians, DO YOU Honestly do you not think China will try and Influence our elections?? TikTok needs to go, or be ran by Americans!!

That's probably the real reason TIKTOK is under fire. EX-US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is currently trying to buy TikTok. He is Jewish and former Goldman Sachs. Time to control the narrative.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/14/for...together-an-investor-group-to-buy-tiktok.html

 

[DeeDave]

There is something in the software that makes the users of Tick Tock wide open to be hacked, as I understand it. If they wanted to clean out millions of bank accounts, the users would be just S.O.L.

I don't know. I do know a ton load of people use TikTok every day to make money. I haven't heard of many of them being hacked by China or having their accounts cleaned out.

 

[DeeDave]

It is obvious by 92% of the Tik Tom post being anti- Israel. This explains why college campuses are protesting in favor of the murderous barbarians of Hamas!!

Is there a source for 92% of TikTok posts being anti-Israel? Seems like that would have been a huge talking point in Congress this last week instead of all the talk about China is that were true.

I looked that up trying to find a source but saw nothing about it. Can you post that source so others can view it?

All I know is what I see from my kids when they show me their TikTok feeds. I see nothing but funny videos, pranks, people doing crazy stuff, lots of businesses advertising, and people making fun of their friends.

(I did see some articles that X (Twitter) seemed to be a hotbed of anti Israel posts).

College campuses aren't protesting in favor of Hamas.

A small number of groups protesting on a small number of campuses doesn't equate to "college campuses protesting in favor of Hamas"

Sometimes I think people see this stuff online or on some cable channel and assume it's happening all over the place all the time. It's not of course.

 

[DeeDave]

I do not like TikTok. Especially when it’s Chinese owned and known to have negative aspects. In the US, we have degeneracy. In China, they have academic focus and no idiocy.

There are lots of things I don't like, but I don't want the government involved in deciding what I can see or not see. Big Brother isn't needed.

China has a different focus because the Chinese government dictates much of the daily life of the Chinese including almost total control over what citizens see. That's not new. It's also something I don't think most Americans want to copy.

 

[DeeDave]

China citizens aren’t even allowed the Tik Tok they feed our youth!!

Chinese citizens aren't allowed to get online and criticize their government leaders, or their local leaders or they can lose their jobs and careers.

Parents need to parent. The government doesn't.

 

[JohnnySolo]

No, I don't know how only TikTok brainwashes kids.

I'd like to be educated on how only they do it. I'd appreciate the lesson.

Can't believe I'm mentioning Rand Paul, but he believes it's unconstitutional

“If you believe there’s a national exemption to the Constitution then you believe that Fox News could be shut down, that Twitter could be shut down. That’s a terrible thing to believe.”- Rand Paul

I'll state the obvious since Dee is determined to take the Stephen A approach here. Brainwashed can also mean influenced. Kids at school are doing tiktok pranks in the bathrooms. Now kids can't go to the bathroom. Brainwashed/Influenced. Every single day I see or read things on social media that show a kid or adolescent doing something stupid that was posted on tiktok. The other obvious here is the owners of tiktok are analyzing tendencies and preferences in an effort to use against America. Surely someone has made that statement.

 

[cockofdawn]

I'll state the obvious since Dee is determined to take the Stephen A approach here. Brainwashed can also mean influenced. Kids at school are doing tiktok pranks in the bathrooms. Now kids can't go to the bathroom. Brainwashed/Influenced. Every single day I see or read things on social media that show a kid or adolescent doing something stupid that was posted on tiktok. The other obvious here is the owners of tiktok are analyzing tendencies and preferences in an effort to use against America. Surely someone has made that statement.

He is too blind to see i guess.

 

[ElectricalCock89]

21 Dangerous TikTok Trends Every Parent Should Be Aware of

Overdosing on allergy medication and starting electrical fires—these are the most dangerous TikTok trends.

www.newsweek.com

Here you go DD

 

[turncock]

I'll state the obvious since Dee is determined to take the Stephen A approach here. Brainwashed can also mean influenced. Kids at school are doing tiktok pranks in the bathrooms. Now kids can't go to the bathroom. Brainwashed/Influenced. Every single day I see or read things on social media that show a kid or adolescent doing something stupid that was posted on tiktok. The other obvious here is the owners of tiktok are analyzing tendencies and preferences in an effort to use against America. Surely someone has made that statement.

I'm sure that's true. But you don't believe the kids will just find another platform of favor if TIKTOK is banned? And what would be the difference if TIKTOK becomes American-owned in this case? If it's a spying issue, that's just code that they should be forced to remove and then just keep the APP open source. I'm with many who believe this only opens up the door for them to censor Twitter and other platforms.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

I'm with many who believe this only opens up the door for them to censor Twitter and other platforms.

Other platforms already do the censoring for the present administration. It will be sold to an American group that will be more than happy to help keep the American people in the dark during the upcoming election.

 

[DeeDave]

I'll state the obvious since Dee is determined to take the Stephen A approach here. Brainwashed can also mean influenced. Kids at school are doing tiktok pranks in the bathrooms. Now kids can't go to the bathroom. Brainwashed/Influenced. Every single day I see or read things on social media that show a kid or adolescent doing something stupid that was posted on tiktok. The other obvious here is the owners of tiktok are analyzing tendencies and preferences in an effort to use against America. Surely someone has made that statement.

Kids have done pranks in bathrooms at school for a long, long time. They also post such videos to Instagram, and others. Washington DC politicians don't need to be involved with it or policing it. They have enough to do.

Human nature being human nature- if you ban one channel, another channel will immediately open up. (kids post all sorts of crazy videoes on Instagram all the time)

If you want to ban apps from all Americans because of what kids do in bathrooms at school, we have a different view of what government should be empowered to do in such a situation.

There are other things that can be done at school (taking up cell phones, etc) than for the federal government to ban a social media app from all americans.

 

[DeeDave]

21 Dangerous TikTok Trends Every Parent Should Be Aware of

Overdosing on allergy medication and starting electrical fires—these are the most dangerous TikTok trends.

www.newsweek.com

Here you go DD

What does this have to do with anything?

You want the federal government to ban everything parents need to be aware of?

Oh, alcohol kills a lot of people, including a lot of children. Maybe it should be banned.

Here are 14 apps that the federal government better get busy banning.

The 14 Apps and Social Media Sites Parents Need to be Aware Of

Beyond popular platforms, discover 14 apps that may pose hidden risks to children, and learn effective parental monitoring strategies.

www.broadbandsearch.net

 

[DeeDave]

He is too blind to see i guess.

Are you going to post your source or not?

you wrote "It is obvious by 92% of the Tik Tom post being anti- Israel."

You haven't backed that claim up yet. Are you making it up?

my view is people that want the federal government to ban social media apps they don't like are blind.

It's amazing the people that want the government involved in such things, making decisions for them related to what they can view online as if they can't take the responsibility themselves.

 

[JohnnySolo]

Thanks Stephen A. Let me guess, you think he's wonderful.

 

[ElectricalCock89]

21 Dangerous TikTok Trends Every Parent Should Be Aware of

Overdosing on allergy medication and starting electrical fires—these are the most dangerous TikTok trends.

www.newsweek.com

Here you go

What does this have to do with anything?

You want the federal government to ban everything parents need to be aware of?

Oh, alcohol kills a lot of people, including a lot of children. Maybe it should be banned.

Here are 14 apps that the federal government better get busy banning.

The 14 Apps and Social Media Sites Parents Need to be Aware Of

Beyond popular platforms, discover 14 apps that may pose hidden risks to children, and learn effective parental monitoring strategies.

www.broadbandsearch.net

im
Stating my point, you goofy fuq…

 

[BattleshipTexas]

I would just be more comfortable if there were no connection to China.

 

[DeeDave]

I would just be more comfortable if there were no connection to China.

That's fair, but we have all sorts of connections to China.

Plus, as some others elsewhere have pointed out: China can simply buy the data from other companies/countries and banning an app isn't going to stop them if that is what they want to do. The US government would have to continue a long effort to ban all sorts of apps from use by the American people.

and of course, other countries, China included, can also start banning apps from American companies- inflicting serious business harm on American companies and their hundreds of thousands of employees.

I don't want the federal government making decisions on what apps me or my kids look at. I can make those decisions, and I can choose what to post with the full knowledge that China and anyone else can see what crazy videos my kids are watching.

 

[DeeDave]

im
Stating my point, you goofy fuq…

Unlike you, I don't need the federal government and politicians policing what apps I use. That's what countries like China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Russia do.

The 14 Apps and Social Media Sites Parents Need to be Aware Of

Beyond popular platforms, discover 14 apps that may pose hidden risks to children, and learn effective parental monitoring strategies.

www.broadbandsearch.net

 

[BattleshipTexas]

That's fair, but we have all sorts of connections to China.

Plus, as some others elsewhere have pointed out: China can simply buy the data from other companies/countries and banning an app isn't going to stop them if that is what they want to do. The US government would have to continue a long effort to ban all sorts of apps from use by the American people.

and of course, other countries, China included, can also start banning apps from American companies- inflicting serious business harm on American companies and their hundreds of thousands of employees.

I don't want the federal government making decisions on what apps me or my kids look at. I can make those decisions, and I can choose what to post with the full knowledge that China and anyone else can see what crazy videos my kids are watching.

China already bans all internet from the US. Internet censorship and surveillance has been tightly implemented in China that block social websites like Gmail, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. The excessive censorship practices of the Great Firewall of China have now engulfed the VPN service providers as well. Same for apps. So don't worry about retaliation, they already have.

Plus I wasn't suggesting banning the app, only the Chinese ownership. Simply seize the asset like nationalizing something. Then sell it to the highest American bidder. What if China bought Google, CNN, MCNBC, CBS, NBC and ABC. Would you be okay with that? Since we already have all sorts of connections?

 

[DeeDave]

China already bans all internet from the US. Internet censorship and surveillance has been tightly implemented in China that block social websites like Gmail, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. The excessive censorship practices of the Great Firewall of China have now engulfed the VPN service providers as well. Same for apps. So don't worry about retaliation, they already have.

It can get much worse- like seizing control of larger American companies in the interest of "preventing spying" and "protecting our country"

I think the effort to "ban" TikTok is a side show- something I am not surprised to see politicians do.

Because "banning" the American people from deciding what they can view is easier than doing the hard work of actually passing meaningful data privacy rights legislation that will protect Americans.

Banning one App so politicians look tough on tv won't do anything except deprive Americans the right to view a social media app, which many believe is unconstitutional and will be struck down. So then, what will be accomplished by that? Nothing.

Plus I wasn't suggesting banning the app, only the Chinese ownership. Simply seize the asset like nationalizing something. Then sell it to the highest American bidder. What if China bought Google, CNN, MCNBC, CBS, NBC and ABC. Would you be okay with that? Since we already have all sorts of connections?

Banning TikTok is the easy way out that won't do anything- and it's probably unconstitutional.

“Whether it’s dressed up as a ban or a forced sale, targeting TikTok is shortsighted and dangerous when what we really need is strong privacy legislation to protect our data from all Big Tech companies, not just one,” Evan Greer, the director of the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future

While lawmakers rallied at dizzying speed to get the TikTok bill passed through the House, they have largely sputtered on any broader legislation aimed at reining in the power of Big Tech companies.

In the absence of comprehensive data privacy laws that apply to all social media companies, not just TikTok, Greer said, “Our data will be vulnerable to surveillance, whether it’s from China, Russia, or even our own government.”

The US government has not publicly detailed any specific claim that China has actually accessed TikTok user data. And earlier this year, it came to light that a US government agency itself routinely buys the sensitive digital data of Americans from the largely unregulated data broker market — data that would otherwise require a warrant to obtain."

Greer slammed the bill that passed the House Wednesday as “not a serious effort to address the harm of Big Tech data harvesting or legitimate concerns about Chinese government policies.”

“It serves no purpose beyond giving politicians something to fundraise off of while leaving all of us vulnerable,” Greer said.

 

[DeeDave]

China already bans all internet from the US. Internet censorship and surveillance has been tightly implemented in China that block social websites like Gmail, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. The excessive censorship practices of the Great Firewall of China have now engulfed the VPN service providers as well. Same for apps. So don't worry about retaliation, they already have.

Plus I wasn't suggesting banning the app, only the Chinese ownership. Simply seize the asset like nationalizing something. Then sell it to the highest American bidder. What if China bought Google, CNN, MCNBC, CBS, NBC and ABC. Would you be okay with that? Since we already have all sorts of connections?

Ultimately, Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, called the bill a “missed opportunity” for Congress to take real action regarding their concerns about US user data.

“The bill is also a missed opportunity because Congress can address the most serious problems associated with TikTok without restricting Americans’ access to one of the world’s most popular communications platforms,”

 

[DeeDave]

Plus I wasn't suggesting banning the app, only the Chinese ownership. Simply seize the asset like nationalizing something. Then sell it to the highest American bidder. What if China bought Google, CNN, MCNBC, CBS, NBC and ABC. Would you be okay with that? Since we already have all sorts of connections?

Why would making it an American company make a lick of difference? (This is a political circus- politicians doing anything to make it look like they are doing something and too many people are buying it hook, line, and sinker)

“American social companies don’t have a good track record with data privacy and user security. I mean, look at Facebook and Cambridge Analytica.”

No- I would not be ok with China- passing a law that says they have to buy Google, Apple or other American companies.

So I don't like copying something China could try

"Even if TikTok’s ownership structure changes, there are still fundamental questions that will remain about software updates, data storage, data transmission and national security." Justin Sherman, an adjunct professor at Duke University and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies

“It’s also simultaneously shameful that Congress has failed so miserably to generate bipartisan consensus and follow-through on protecting kids’ privacy and other critical privacy and cybersecurity issues while spending so much time talking about TikTok.” Sherman added

 

[BattleshipTexas]

Why would making it an American company make a lick of difference?

It would make a tremendous difference. China couldn't misuse it. An American company might misuse it for criminal purposes, but they don't have the geopolitical motives that China has.

 

[DeeDave]

It would make a tremendous difference. China couldn't misuse it. An American company might misuse it for criminal purposes, but they don't have the geopolitical motives that China has.

China could misuse it- as virtually every privacy and cybersecurity expert has testified to- and been quoted on - because while some in Congress are focused on banning one single APP from Americans, they aren't working on actual, tangible data privacy and security protections that would apply to every APP and every American company- or foreign company seeking to do business in America, or building data centers or other infrastructure in the United States.

As other cyber security experts have stated (some I quoted above), China can simply buy the data- (They already do this and so do many other countries) from other companies because they are almost no safeguards in place for them to do so.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

China could misuse it- as virtually every privacy and cybersecurity expert has testified to- and been quoted on - because while some in Congress are focused on banning one single APP from Americans, they aren't working on actual, tangible data privacy and security protections that would apply to every APP and every American company- or foreign company seeking to do business in America, or building data centers or other infrastructure in the United States.

As other cyber security experts have stated (some I quoted above), China can simply buy the data- (They already do this and so do many other countries) from other companies because they are almost no safeguards in place for them to do so.

It is perfectly fine to say they should be doing more for actual tangible data privacy. We all agree with that. However, that is not a reason we shouldn't take ownership of TikTok away. It is something we should do in addition to taking China's ownership of TikTok away. Even if they can buy a lot of the data from other sources, make them do it. Just the fact they have to do a transaction makes it easier to monitor what they are up to. If they own TikTok, they can use the data with no papertrail, no one the wiser.

Basically your argument is that doing this may not result in the protections we hope for. Fine, maybe not. But that isn't a reason not to do it anyway.

 

[DeeDave]

It is perfectly fine to say they should be doing more for actual tangible data privacy. We all agree with that. However, that is not a reason we shouldn't take ownership of TikTok away. It is something we should do in addition to taking China's ownership of TikTok away. Even if they can buy a lot of the data from other sources, make them do it. Just the fact they have to do a transaction makes it easier to monitor what they are up to. If they own TikTok, they can use the data with no papertrail, no one the wiser.

Basically your argument is that doing this may not result in the protections we hope for. Fine, maybe not. But that isn't a reason not to do it anyway.

the reason not to do it is one of the role of government

I don’t believe it’s the role of the government and politicians to effectively ban Americans from using an App that politicians don’t like. China does that. I see no reason to imitate them.

if the concern is data privacy, pass a damn law about data privacy and make all apps compete on a level playing field with respect to data privacy.

Don’t support politicians that pick and choose what they want you to see or use. big brother isn’t needed.

banning one app for the sake of data privacy, when banning that app won’t do anything about data privacy is nuts.

banning a photographer from your party because you don’t want photographs to end up on the internet when everyone at the party is taking pictures with their phones is pointless.

“It serves no purpose beyond giving politicians something to fundraise off of while leaving all of us vulnerable,”

 

[DeeDave]

Basically your argument is that doing this may not result in the protections we hope for. Fine, maybe not. But that isn't a reason not to do it anyway.

It IS a reason not to do it. we are talking about the federal government banning Americans, in a free country, from being able to access something 175 million Americans routinely use.

There is no requirement that you or your family use TikTok. it’s 100% optional. Anyone concerned can simply not download it and sign up for it. there are tons of parental controls that can prevent kids from using it.

I am not a supporter of the government banning things to “protect you” when there are much better ways to solve the problem, that are actually effective, than banning you from accessing something on the internet - that won’t solve the problem at all.

 

[DeeDave]

If you believe you want the government and politicians banning things for the sake of banning things, if you believe that is their role and they are best positioned to tell you what you can look at and see, then you should support them banning apps you don’t like.

”Bans are promoted by politicians that don’t understand how internet data collection works and they know that they can spin the idea of banning to an unsuspecting American public who won’t understand it any better than they do. Politicians want to fundraise off of the idea. It’s also very likely unconstitutional.“

if you want to actually solve the problem of data privacy, then that will take actual solutions and hard work, not useless banning that only hurts Americans.

Why Banning TikTok is Ineffective, Unnecessary, and Counterproductive

Bruce Schneier filed a declaration in support of a Knight Institute complaint against Texas' ban on TikTok for public university employees.

www.justsecurity.org

“TikTok, for instance, could use tracking pixels embedded in third-party websites to collect data about a person’s IP address and browsing activity, even if that person does not have a TikTok account”

”banning TikTok will not prevent the Chinese government from collecting sensitive data from Americans if it wishes to do so. As he underscored, “it would be trivial for the Chinese government to buy enormously detailed datasets about Americans.” And it could do so “without ever accessing the data collected by TikTok.”