• cm0002@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    6
    ·
    6 months ago

    170 million users in the United States.

    Tankies: But it’s just a lil Chinese app, why the US single out TiKTok‽

    That’s why. That’s an incredible amount of influence right there.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      17
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      6 months ago

      While I could not give less of a shit about TikTok except as a possible personal source of revenue for people who want to hire me to make videos for them, I’m a hell of a lot more worried about the influence of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter now that you’re allowed to do things like call queer people mentally ill pedophiles and immigrants are dirty criminals.

      And this is why. Facebook is allowing exactly the same thing that they allowed to foment genocide in Myanmar: https://www.404media.co/meta-is-laying-the-narrative-groundwork-for-trumps-mass-deportations-2/

      • takeda@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        6 months ago

        Both sides can be bad, with TikTok the problem is that it is controlled by an adversary, a nation that doesn’t have good relationship with the US and wants it to collapse.

        Frankly if I had power I would go after Twitter and Meta as well.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          6 months ago

          the problem is that it is controlled by an adversary

          As opposed to billionaires working with the trump admin…

          If you don’t think this is adversarial government, I won’t try to convince you, it’ll keep getting more and more obvious

          • takeda@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            6 months ago

            You won’t find me supporting Twitter or Meta, and I won’t deny that their owners do seem to be influenced by foreign governments (directly or indirectly), but TikTok is clearly information Domain Warfare and it would be hell of a stupid to continue allowing it if they are still controlled by Chinese government. This is why that sale is for.

            https://youtu.be/9JQLaf4QaOs?t=6m51s

            If TikTok wasn’t a weapon, wouldn’t it make more sense to sell it and get something than not selling it and have nothing?

            The current behavior only makes sense if the real value was being China’s propaganda piece. A normal business would just go after money.

            • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              6 months ago

              You think the French nobility fund d US revolutionaries because they were upset about taxes?

              If a country is doing something in another country, it’s for selfish reasons 99% of the time.

              If China wants to allow a place for people to complain about trump not controlled by a billionaire in Trump’s side…

              What they get out of it isn’t the primary concern. It’s helping the American people even if only done to fuck with Trump’s administration

      • cm0002@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        It’s not an either/or thing, both can be bad, both should be banned or at least heavily regulated. Right now we got one banned so far so I’ll take it

        • takeda@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          6 months ago

          or at least heavily regulated

          That’s the core reason for requirement to sell it. Right now there’s no way to regulate it. It is an app that influences 17 million Americans controlled by a country that right now regularly conducted cyber attacks on our infrastructure. What could go wrong?