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> Another concern is that TikTok’s algorithms could be influencing its users in ways that might benefit China. I guess I can see this, but I’m not sure. I thin

> Another concern is that TikTok’s algorithms could be influencing its users in ways that might benefit China. I guess I can see this, but I’m not sure. I think this is the heart of the issue. Ironically, I think it didn't necessarily help TikTok's case when they showed a message to their US users asking them to contact their legislative representatives, and that's exactly what they did: https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-now-asking-users-to-call-their-senators-to-prevent-a-us-ban-213935787.html https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-now-asking-users-to-call-... So Congress got to experience, first-hand, an example of TikTok's power to influence Americans' behavior, which is probably just the thing they were being warned about by national security professionals.

krapp 2y ago
>So Congress got to experience, first-hand, an example of TikTok's power to influence Americans' behavior, which is probably just the thing they were being warned about by national security professionals. Except this is exactly the same power every popular domestic company has, including every other social media platform. It wasn't even the only time a company got customers to protest legislation on their behalf (see FOSTA/SESTA). TikTok's users weren't brainwashed by Chinese propaganda and following some Manchurian Candidate trigger to launch an attack on American infrastructure, they were voluntarily participating in the democratic process. That isn't a national security issue, it isn't even illegal.
- WCSTombs 2y ago
  > Except this is exactly the same power every popular domestic company has, including every other social media platform. Yeah, but that's sort of the point. With domestic companies, the US government has more levers they can pull and more influence they can wield back. That's why the "TikTok Ban" isn't an outright ban, it's forcing the sale to a non-Chinese entity, which would be acceptable to them. I'm not trying to paint the US government as some sort of saints here, and to be clear it is ultimately about power and influence. That said, even without really agreeing with it, I can sort of see the logic behind this move.

krapp 2y ago

>So Congress got to experience, first-hand, an example of TikTok's power to influence Americans' behavior, which is probably just the thing they were being warned about by national security professionals. Except this is exactly the same power every popular domestic company has, including every other social media platform. It wasn't even the only time a company got customers to protest legislation on their behalf (see FOSTA/SESTA). TikTok's users weren't brainwashed by Chinese propaganda and following some Manchurian Candidate trigger to launch an attack on American infrastructure, they were voluntarily participating in the democratic process. That isn't a national security issue, it isn't even illegal.

WCSTombs 2y ago
> Except this is exactly the same power every popular domestic company has, including every other social media platform. Yeah, but that's sort of the point. With domestic companies, the US government has more levers they can pull and more influence they can wield back. That's why the "TikTok Ban" isn't an outright ban, it's forcing the sale to a non-Chinese entity, which would be acceptable to them. I'm not trying to paint the US government as some sort of saints here, and to be clear it is ultimately about power and influence. That said, even without really agreeing with it, I can sort of see the logic behind this move.