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> I am requesting that you apply the plain text of your app store policies to TikTok and remove it from your app stores for failure to abide by those terms. I

> I am requesting that you apply the plain text of your app store policies to TikTok and remove it from your app stores for failure to abide by those terms. I hadn't thought of this point before. Apple and Google both reject apps from small-time American developers all the time for minor technicalities related to their data privacy rules. Why does ByteDance get to run roughshod over all of the same rules?

tluyben2 4y ago
Apple/Google get to decide themselves who stays and who doesn’t; one of them cannot remove TikTok because everyone will flock to the other side. And money; TikTok is one of the few apps that makes money, lot’s of it. I don’t know or use it, but I assume Apple and Google benefit from that.
- josephcsible 4y ago
  > one of them cannot remove TikTok because everyone will flock to the other side Not if they both did it at once.
  - colordrops 4y ago
    As if either Google or Apple cares about privacy.
  - mattnewton 4y ago
    What's in it for Apple? End up with pissed off users, probably brand damage in China, so that an ad network they don't compete with, but Google does, is crushed? And if Google allows it back on their store or just people publicize how to sideload, it could even cause a few super fans to switch platforms to android.
- paranoidrobot 4y ago
  > one of them cannot remove TikTok because everyone will flock to the other side. If Google did it, for sure, and then everyone shares how to side-load on Android. If Apple did it, I'm pretty sure you get a whole lot of complaints but little action. Apple's lack of ability to side-load or have alternate app-stores, plus their lock-in for the rest of their ecosystem makes that barrier to switching a lot higher. I think Apple would have to do something a lot bigger than banning TikTok to get a critical-mass to move off Apple devices. One of the larger messaging services perhaps - WhatsApp or Telegram or whatever's big in various regions might do it.
lmaocat 4y ago
Your question was probably rhetorical, but I'll answer it anyways: TikTok's userbase and revenue generation are massive. It will be extremely costly for Google or Apple to remove TikTok simply because of its massive fanbase of everyday users - remove TikTok and you get millions of pissed off users, and for what? Those users didn't care that their data was being harvested anyways (any cursory Google search will reveal TikTok's data harvesting policies), they care about the the fun app that they love spending hours on everyday, and now the tyrants at Apple and Google are taking their fun away.
- baxtr 4y ago
  You’re right. But I wonder what would happen if both did it simultaneously.
  - googlryas 4y ago
    Everyone learns how to sideload apps.
    - ketzo 4y ago
      Nah, not on iPhones they don’t. Barrier to entry (and risk of breaking their phone) of jail breaking is too high for ~99% of iPhone users. Android might be a different story. But not THAT different. People REALLY rely on app stores.
      - bryanrasmussen 4y ago
        > (and risk of breaking their phone) of jail breaking is too high for ~99% of iPhone users. really 99%, you have the data backing that up? At any rate my baseless assumption is that TikTok is mainly younger users, I bet for people who do not have their phone from work or purchased themselves from having a job i.e kids and teens, the risk of jail breaking is minimal - at least the first time. on edit: assume the preceding in a jocular tone.
        4y ago

tluyben2 4y ago

Apple/Google get to decide themselves who stays and who doesn’t; one of them cannot remove TikTok because everyone will flock to the other side. And money; TikTok is one of the few apps that makes money, lot’s of it. I don’t know or use it, but I assume Apple and Google benefit from that.

josephcsible 4y ago
> one of them cannot remove TikTok because everyone will flock to the other side Not if they both did it at once.
- colordrops 4y ago
  As if either Google or Apple cares about privacy.
- mattnewton 4y ago
  What's in it for Apple? End up with pissed off users, probably brand damage in China, so that an ad network they don't compete with, but Google does, is crushed? And if Google allows it back on their store or just people publicize how to sideload, it could even cause a few super fans to switch platforms to android.
paranoidrobot 4y ago
> one of them cannot remove TikTok because everyone will flock to the other side. If Google did it, for sure, and then everyone shares how to side-load on Android. If Apple did it, I'm pretty sure you get a whole lot of complaints but little action. Apple's lack of ability to side-load or have alternate app-stores, plus their lock-in for the rest of their ecosystem makes that barrier to switching a lot higher. I think Apple would have to do something a lot bigger than banning TikTok to get a critical-mass to move off Apple devices. One of the larger messaging services perhaps - WhatsApp or Telegram or whatever's big in various regions might do it.

lmaocat 4y ago

Your question was probably rhetorical, but I'll answer it anyways: TikTok's userbase and revenue generation are massive. It will be extremely costly for Google or Apple to remove TikTok simply because of its massive fanbase of everyday users - remove TikTok and you get millions of pissed off users, and for what? Those users didn't care that their data was being harvested anyways (any cursory Google search will reveal TikTok's data harvesting policies), they care about the the fun app that they love spending hours on everyday, and now the tyrants at Apple and Google are taking their fun away.

baxtr 4y ago
You’re right. But I wonder what would happen if both did it simultaneously.
- googlryas 4y ago
  Everyone learns how to sideload apps.
  - ketzo 4y ago
    Nah, not on iPhones they don’t. Barrier to entry (and risk of breaking their phone) of jail breaking is too high for ~99% of iPhone users. Android might be a different story. But not THAT different. People REALLY rely on app stores.
    - bryanrasmussen 4y ago
      > (and risk of breaking their phone) of jail breaking is too high for ~99% of iPhone users. really 99%, you have the data backing that up? At any rate my baseless assumption is that TikTok is mainly younger users, I bet for people who do not have their phone from work or purchased themselves from having a job i.e kids and teens, the risk of jail breaking is minimal - at least the first time. on edit: assume the preceding in a jocular tone.
      - 4y ago