3 ms·

Not that I have any deep subject matter knowledge but I agree, it feels like app store McCarthyism

yamtaddle 4y ago
ALL of these sorts of social media programs are terrifyingly-capable spying platforms. It'd be weird if we didn't regard one controlled by a foreign adversary as a threat. I think the domestic ones are, too—but they feed info to US law enforcement and intelligence and are making lots of money, so we can't crack down on those, I guess.
eatonphil 4y ago
McCarthyism was primarily a political thing by politicians. The FBI chief being discussed here, Wray, is a political appointment but not an elected politician so hopefully the appointment shields them from politics. Nevermind that the DoJ tries pretty hard to be independent of the President. But beyond that, this particular chief was appointed during the previous administration of a different party. And has served in both party's administrations. I have no position on TikTok, but Wray saying this is not really comparable to McCarthy.
- cwkoss 4y ago
  I feel like the FBI has politicized quite a bit since Comey.
- advisedwang 4y ago
  The FBI chief is and has always been highly political. J Edgar Hoover was a extreme anti-communist and was investigating suspected communists, infiltrating CPUSA and creating blacklists at the exact same time that McCarthy was conducting his hearings. In fact the McCarthyism acticle on Wikipedia has a whole section about the FBI. The FBI was deeply involved in McCarthyism.
- lehi 4y ago
  Something being political does not require it to be partisan. Joseph McCarthy worked hand in hand with then-FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, and Wray was appointed by a president who also tried to ban TikTok.
  - eatonphil 4y ago
    Sure, but being kept on by an administration of the opposing party goes a bit to show that he is also not particularly partisan.
rchaud 4y ago
It definitely sounds like that. But to me this feels more like 'testing the waters' to see if the argument sticks with the American people. I don't think it will, because they provided even a hint of a smoking gun. Eventually, I can see these hearings continue, but the line of argument will change to protecting American jobs, especially if Meta's ad revenues fall.

ALL of these sorts of social media programs are terrifyingly-capable spying platforms. It'd be weird if we didn't regard one controlled by a foreign adversary as a threat. I think the domestic ones are, too—but they feed info to US law enforcement and intelligence and are making lots of money, so we can't crack down on those, I guess.

eatonphil 4y ago

McCarthyism was primarily a political thing by politicians. The FBI chief being discussed here, Wray, is a political appointment but not an elected politician so hopefully the appointment shields them from politics. Nevermind that the DoJ tries pretty hard to be independent of the President. But beyond that, this particular chief was appointed during the previous administration of a different party. And has served in both party's administrations. I have no position on TikTok, but Wray saying this is not really comparable to McCarthy.

cwkoss 4y ago
I feel like the FBI has politicized quite a bit since Comey.
advisedwang 4y ago
The FBI chief is and has always been highly political. J Edgar Hoover was a extreme anti-communist and was investigating suspected communists, infiltrating CPUSA and creating blacklists at the exact same time that McCarthy was conducting his hearings. In fact the McCarthyism acticle on Wikipedia has a whole section about the FBI. The FBI was deeply involved in McCarthyism.
lehi 4y ago
Something being political does not require it to be partisan. Joseph McCarthy worked hand in hand with then-FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, and Wray was appointed by a president who also tried to ban TikTok.
- eatonphil 4y ago
  Sure, but being kept on by an administration of the opposing party goes a bit to show that he is also not particularly partisan.

rchaud 4y ago

It definitely sounds like that. But to me this feels more like 'testing the waters' to see if the argument sticks with the American people. I don't think it will, because they provided even a hint of a smoking gun. Eventually, I can see these hearings continue, but the line of argument will change to protecting American jobs, especially if Meta's ad revenues fall.