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The problem isn't digital privacy; it's a fair bit more complex than that. Tech lenses aren't a great way to view geopolitics. The US' international economic d
by curiousllama 6y ago
The problem isn't digital privacy; it's a fair bit more complex than that. Tech lenses aren't a great way to view geopolitics.
The US' international economic dominance is predicated on a (1) pronounced lead in certain industries and (2) a simply massive economy, which combine to (3) let the US set the rules of international "fair play." The US is where you find the thing you want to buy, and the people you want to sell to. You want access? Play by our rules - everywhere.
Tik Tok does not just threaten US data. It threatens our lead in a critical industry (1), and comes from a country that minimizes the impact of US economic might (2), meaning that China can set their own rules of "fair play" (3). Banning Tik Tok isn't to protect US data; that's totally missing the point. It's to protect the American ability to set international norms.
From that lens, this is certainly hamfisted, and I certainly don't believe views it like this, but you can damn well bet the policy nerd drafting this EO is thinking this way.
- Joker_vD 6y agoThere was an old Soviet joke that "the USA meddles in the USSR's internal affairs all over the globe"... and yeah, the "policy nerds" apparently do honestly believe that the whole world is in the US's jurisdiction, but what can you realistically do?
- curiousllama 6y agoI'm totally stealing that joke. Love soviet political humor.
- CerealFounder 6y agoYou;'re right, but I think you're seeing China finally being taken seriously for the future and with that comes and expectation of reciprocity of commerce. If you want to fight to be the most important economy/culture you no longer can ask up to bring a knife to a gun fight.
- specialp 6y agoWell if the current state is zero due process in China, and no ability for US companies to participate in their social media market, then yes their companies should have equal treatment. I don't agree with this just on fiat from Trump, but the USA is in its rights to give Chinese the same sort of treatment that they give the USA. If you don't play by China's rules you can't be in their market, and those rules are set up to benefit China only. In this case TikTok is getting the same treatment US tech giants have. If that is not "fair play" I don't know what is.
- nouveaux 6y agoChina is already setting their own rules of "fair play". This is not just protecting the American way but protecting the way of Western Democracy. https://www.businessinsider.com/nba-china-feud-timeline-daryl-morey-tweet-hong-kong-protests-2019-10 https://www.businessinsider.com/nba-china-feud-timeline-dary...
- curiousllama 6y agoI wouldn't be a hyperbolic as that, but you're not wrong. It's about protecting policies and norms that manifest western democratic values on the global stage. In one way, it's existential: the march of authoritarianism is undoubtedly accelerated by nation-states manipulating social media. But in most others, I wouldn't get too worked up: it's more about mundane garbage ("preserving the spirit of financial disclosure processes in the context of international capital market access") - nerd sh*t.
- billfruit 6y agoIf that is so then the whole discourse borders on the US government deceiving the American people by stating that TikTok is some data security threat.. whereas real reasons seems to be geo-politics..
- curiousllama 6y agoWelcome to geopolitics