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We really really need to shut this down as a national security issue. If they took it off Apple and Google Play stores it would reduce usage immediately by at l

We really really need to shut this down as a national security issue. If they took it off Apple and Google Play stores it would reduce usage immediately by at least 80-90% along with having apple/android send out blocks like they can for malware (which it is). It's hard to believe Biden didn't continue Trump's attempt to shut it down.

jibe 4y ago
>Trump's attempt to shut it down. Believe it or not, Trump’s policy was more nuanced than what are getting now. They were in the process of forcing a sale of the company to a US owner.
- tomComb 4y ago
  I think you mean that you saw Trump's solution as more effective. It wasn't more nuanced. Trump's solution involved a one off payoff for a supporter (Oracle), whereas the current admin is at least trying to develop a policy framework and solve the problem with less corruption and arbitrary use of power. The latter is much more work but - to bring it back to the issue - is more nuanced.
  - kneebonian 4y ago
    I can't think of a faster way to kill the app or any app than to sell it to Oracle. Seriously give it to Oracle and 20 minutes. When you have to spend 3 minutes waiting for the next TikTok to load people will find alternatives real quick.
wikfwikf 4y ago
What about the First Amendment?
- master-lincoln 4y ago
  What about it? Does it specify that all Chinese mobile apps need to be distributed by the major mobile companies? I don't see how it's related. Please elaborate.
- nailer 4y ago
  If you mean ‘what about freedom of speech’ - ie the moral value rather than the US law - tiktok’s not being banned for speech but for stealing user data.
  - cocacola1 4y ago
    OP mentioned it as a “national security issue” so I think they meant to invoke First Amendment freedom of speech.
Tepix 4y ago
I didn't see you shut down Uber who did worse things.
- JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  > didn't see you shut down Uber who did worse things You're comparing a company pursuing commercial interests with a militaristic dictatorship threatening our allies.
  - trasz3 4y ago
    [flagged]
    - JumpCrisscross 4y ago
      > China, which didn’t invade anyone in half a decade, militaristic? Let me guess, you’re American? Nobody's claiming America isn't militaristic. But it's not a dictatorship. And it's acting in its self interest. China blocks every foreign social media app. Whataboutism doesn't make rhetorical sense here.
      - trasz3 4y ago
        [flagged]
        malshe 4y ago
        > US is a partial democracy, just like China China is a partial democracy? What bs!
        trasz3 4y ago
        Let me guess, it never occurred to you to ask what Chinese say about this. You just trust your own propaganda instead.
- troyvit 4y ago
iamben 4y ago
I absolutely get your point, but the solution feels incredibly heavy handed, especially as 99.99999%+ of the users are unlikely to ever warrant tracking. Surely a better solution would be briefing journalists not to install pretty much anything on their phones that they don't actually need. Edit: for clarity, I guess I'm saying that if there's ever a point when a country/company tracking you is likely to warrant problems, perhaps you need to consider how it could happen and how you could avoid it.
trasz3 4y ago
We should also shut down all the US-based media in Europe then, for the exact same reason.
- bagacrap 4y ago
  If you haven't noticed, Europe has passed laws making it nearly impossible for American (and only American) tech companies to operate there. I would probably be less inclined to want TikTok banned if China were in the midst of saving my entire continent from an unhinged, marauding neighbor.
  - trasz3 4y ago
    Not true, American companies like Google are still the de facto monopolies in Europe. You might also check out how China is draining Russian economy - instead of focusing on making an appearance of doing so. But yeah, this is one aspect where I do agree. I’m really happy to see USA being the good guys again.
    - BlueTemplar 4y ago
      They are still operating illegally in the EU. Hard to say whether law enforcement will start to (seriously) wake up, whether denial will make the EU and the US come to an agreement, or whether the US will stop treating non-citizens like a police state (haha, fat chance).
  - wikfwikf 4y ago
    A Chinese company operates in the US, obeys local laws while doing the same sketchy things that home-grown companies do all the time and it's a 'national security issue'. US companies operating in the EU are expected to follow local laws and ... this is unfair because the US is pursuing its own narrow internal interests in Ukraine, like it always does, and Europeans are supposed to be grateful?
    - signatoremo 4y ago
      Because TikTok is a Chinese company? There is precedence of American companies not allowed to operate in China. Why pretend to be surprise? > this is unfair because the US is pursuing its own narrow internal interests in Ukraine So narrow that Ukraine president decided to come visit to rally support?

jibe 4y ago

>Trump's attempt to shut it down. Believe it or not, Trump’s policy was more nuanced than what are getting now. They were in the process of forcing a sale of the company to a US owner.

tomComb 4y ago
I think you mean that you saw Trump's solution as more effective. It wasn't more nuanced. Trump's solution involved a one off payoff for a supporter (Oracle), whereas the current admin is at least trying to develop a policy framework and solve the problem with less corruption and arbitrary use of power. The latter is much more work but - to bring it back to the issue - is more nuanced.
- kneebonian 4y ago
  I can't think of a faster way to kill the app or any app than to sell it to Oracle. Seriously give it to Oracle and 20 minutes. When you have to spend 3 minutes waiting for the next TikTok to load people will find alternatives real quick.

wikfwikf 4y ago

What about the First Amendment?

master-lincoln 4y ago
What about it? Does it specify that all Chinese mobile apps need to be distributed by the major mobile companies? I don't see how it's related. Please elaborate.
nailer 4y ago
If you mean ‘what about freedom of speech’ - ie the moral value rather than the US law - tiktok’s not being banned for speech but for stealing user data.
- cocacola1 4y ago
  OP mentioned it as a “national security issue” so I think they meant to invoke First Amendment freedom of speech.

Tepix 4y ago

I didn't see you shut down Uber who did worse things.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> didn't see you shut down Uber who did worse things You're comparing a company pursuing commercial interests with a militaristic dictatorship threatening our allies.
- trasz3 4y ago
  [flagged]
  - JumpCrisscross 4y ago
    > China, which didn’t invade anyone in half a decade, militaristic? Let me guess, you’re American? Nobody's claiming America isn't militaristic. But it's not a dictatorship. And it's acting in its self interest. China blocks every foreign social media app. Whataboutism doesn't make rhetorical sense here.
    - trasz3 4y ago
      [flagged]
      - malshe 4y ago
        > US is a partial democracy, just like China China is a partial democracy? What bs!
        trasz3 4y ago
        Let me guess, it never occurred to you to ask what Chinese say about this. You just trust your own propaganda instead.
troyvit 4y ago

iamben 4y ago

I absolutely get your point, but the solution feels incredibly heavy handed, especially as 99.99999%+ of the users are unlikely to ever warrant tracking. Surely a better solution would be briefing journalists not to install pretty much anything on their phones that they don't actually need. Edit: for clarity, I guess I'm saying that if there's ever a point when a country/company tracking you is likely to warrant problems, perhaps you need to consider how it could happen and how you could avoid it.

trasz3 4y ago

We should also shut down all the US-based media in Europe then, for the exact same reason.

bagacrap 4y ago
If you haven't noticed, Europe has passed laws making it nearly impossible for American (and only American) tech companies to operate there. I would probably be less inclined to want TikTok banned if China were in the midst of saving my entire continent from an unhinged, marauding neighbor.
- trasz3 4y ago
  Not true, American companies like Google are still the de facto monopolies in Europe. You might also check out how China is draining Russian economy - instead of focusing on making an appearance of doing so. But yeah, this is one aspect where I do agree. I’m really happy to see USA being the good guys again.
  - BlueTemplar 4y ago
    They are still operating illegally in the EU. Hard to say whether law enforcement will start to (seriously) wake up, whether denial will make the EU and the US come to an agreement, or whether the US will stop treating non-citizens like a police state (haha, fat chance).
- wikfwikf 4y ago
  A Chinese company operates in the US, obeys local laws while doing the same sketchy things that home-grown companies do all the time and it's a 'national security issue'. US companies operating in the EU are expected to follow local laws and ... this is unfair because the US is pursuing its own narrow internal interests in Ukraine, like it always does, and Europeans are supposed to be grateful?
  - signatoremo 4y ago
    Because TikTok is a Chinese company? There is precedence of American companies not allowed to operate in China. Why pretend to be surprise? > this is unfair because the US is pursuing its own narrow internal interests in Ukraine So narrow that Ukraine president decided to come visit to rally support?