3 ms·

> The law to ban tiktok was passed because the Chinese government has direct control over the content shown to users Perhaps that's the real reason. But if so,

> The law to ban tiktok was passed because the Chinese government has direct control over the content shown to users Perhaps that's the real reason. But if so, why can't the US government just require Tiktok to push content that aligns with US interests? Say for every 3 videos a user watches, they are then required to watch a US army recruitment ad, or an VOA anti-China propaganda clip, or Uncle Sam telling them that there's a high chance they just watched foreign propaganda (think tobacco package warning messages). I'm pretty sure that Tiktok would find this acceptable as the cost of doing business, and that China wouldn't care — plenty of anti-China content already exists on Tiktok. Of course I'm not seriously suggesting this. But I'm saying that if control over content is the real motivating concern, why wouldn't a solution like this be considered viable?

s1artibartfast 2y ago
That suggestion just covers one variable among many. There is an endless list of social issues. The suggestion doesn't restrict how much anti-US propaganda gets pushed. I don't think TikTok or the US would find it acceptable. It is too heavy handed
- aragonite 2y ago
  > I don't think TikTok or the US would find it acceptable. It is too heavy handed It's less heavy handed than banning outright, though. > The suggestion doesn't restrict how much anti-US propaganda gets pushed. Good point. Let me refine my suggestion so as to require that TikTok prohibit all anti-US content: sophisticated AI algorithms would be put in place to ensure that content that doesn't align with US interests is not allowed. This will make the suggestion even more heavy-handed, but note that, once again, it's still less heavy-handed than banning outright.
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    That proposal is not compatible with US propaganda strategy. The US does not have a ministry of propaganda to design AI algorithms, or provide the pre-requisite adds for TikTok. It isnt set up to oversee the internal workings of the company algorithm. Instead, it relies on US citizens embedded in US companies to push US ideals in social media. When it does presumably conduct social engineering attacks, it does it through bots and buying adds on platforms. Last, I don't think the US government expecting to have to actually ban Tiktok. I think it is expecting to win, and get to have it's cake and eat it too. This would be the least heavy handed option.

s1artibartfast 2y ago

That suggestion just covers one variable among many. There is an endless list of social issues. The suggestion doesn't restrict how much anti-US propaganda gets pushed. I don't think TikTok or the US would find it acceptable. It is too heavy handed

aragonite 2y ago
> I don't think TikTok or the US would find it acceptable. It is too heavy handed It's less heavy handed than banning outright, though. > The suggestion doesn't restrict how much anti-US propaganda gets pushed. Good point. Let me refine my suggestion so as to require that TikTok prohibit all anti-US content: sophisticated AI algorithms would be put in place to ensure that content that doesn't align with US interests is not allowed. This will make the suggestion even more heavy-handed, but note that, once again, it's still less heavy-handed than banning outright.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  That proposal is not compatible with US propaganda strategy. The US does not have a ministry of propaganda to design AI algorithms, or provide the pre-requisite adds for TikTok. It isnt set up to oversee the internal workings of the company algorithm. Instead, it relies on US citizens embedded in US companies to push US ideals in social media. When it does presumably conduct social engineering attacks, it does it through bots and buying adds on platforms. Last, I don't think the US government expecting to have to actually ban Tiktok. I think it is expecting to win, and get to have it's cake and eat it too. This would be the least heavy handed option.