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"We came to the conclusion that these activities that were conducted in Canada by TikTok and their offices would be injurious to national security," Really not

"We came to the conclusion that these activities that were conducted in Canada by TikTok and their offices would be injurious to national security," Really not saying anything, but that's the line they are going with.

gruez 2y ago
What do they think is happening inside TikTok offices? It's not like they're embassies filled with spies.
- llm_nerd 2y ago
  Why couldn't it be? Canada has an extremely generous, massively exploited foreign worker program (it is actually one of the reasons this government is profoundly unpopular). ByteDance, like every other company, can unilaterally declare that they need to bring in an entirely foreign staff and get it rubber stamped. Given the company's alleged closeness with the party, using it as an easy vehicle to drop loads of intelligence workers of various sorts in Canada would be logical. Similarly China has a thing with running intimidation tactics against Chinese ex-pats living in Western countries.
  - gruez 2y ago
    It's not impossible, but you'd think they come up with a better front company than bytedance, of all companies. It's like China accusing that McDonalds is a spy front.
    - llm_nerd 2y ago
      Perhaps, but China really doesn't have a lot of companies with offices in the West. When China tries to buy Western countries they are often blocked for the same national security reasons, as has happened several times in Canada.
      - gruez 2y ago
        A nondescript consumer appliance or clothing "sales office" is infinitely better than bytedance, a company that has received significant flak in the media. The Biden administration's policy of "small yard, high fence" means that unless you're trying to import chips, AI tech, drones, or battery tech, you're probably fine. Nobody is going to blink an eye at some Chinese company trying to sell rice cookers.
  - russli1993 2y ago
    yes, Chinese ppl are Chinese spies. This is Western values. Chinese ppl also breathed the same air, you want ban that too? It is national security risk, you are breathing the same air a commie just breathed. I find it really interesting how ppl can just think "could", I feel you watch too much war movies. Talk to real people more, I think you will find that ppl are more the same than different, and we all want peace, good life, that is it. Oh all Chinese are spies. China can turn cars into killing machines, Westerners really watch too much science fiction and cold war movies. This never crossed our minds this could be a thing and no one is this boring and morally bad to do this. But seems Westerners really like to entertain these ideas.
    - llm_nerd 2y ago
      Didn't notice this comment previously as it happened days after. However since the government has revealed that ByteDance employees in Canada -- Chinese nationals -- have acted against the national security of Canada. And just to be clear, this has happened again, and again, and again, and again. This is a countless line of Chinese nationals and their organizations operating as fronts for the Chinese government. >Oh all Chinese are spies. Nope, but enough are that it's a recurring problem.
TeMPOraL 2y ago
Speaks volumes about perceived power balance between governments and corporations. You'd think that forcing a foreign company to operate through a national subsidiary would be beneficial to the government in terms of intelligence/counterintelligence, but apparently they worry it would be more beneficial to the company and/or its home country.

gruez 2y ago

What do they think is happening inside TikTok offices? It's not like they're embassies filled with spies.

llm_nerd 2y ago
Why couldn't it be? Canada has an extremely generous, massively exploited foreign worker program (it is actually one of the reasons this government is profoundly unpopular). ByteDance, like every other company, can unilaterally declare that they need to bring in an entirely foreign staff and get it rubber stamped. Given the company's alleged closeness with the party, using it as an easy vehicle to drop loads of intelligence workers of various sorts in Canada would be logical. Similarly China has a thing with running intimidation tactics against Chinese ex-pats living in Western countries.
- gruez 2y ago
  It's not impossible, but you'd think they come up with a better front company than bytedance, of all companies. It's like China accusing that McDonalds is a spy front.
  - llm_nerd 2y ago
    Perhaps, but China really doesn't have a lot of companies with offices in the West. When China tries to buy Western countries they are often blocked for the same national security reasons, as has happened several times in Canada.
    - gruez 2y ago
      A nondescript consumer appliance or clothing "sales office" is infinitely better than bytedance, a company that has received significant flak in the media. The Biden administration's policy of "small yard, high fence" means that unless you're trying to import chips, AI tech, drones, or battery tech, you're probably fine. Nobody is going to blink an eye at some Chinese company trying to sell rice cookers.
- russli1993 2y ago
  yes, Chinese ppl are Chinese spies. This is Western values. Chinese ppl also breathed the same air, you want ban that too? It is national security risk, you are breathing the same air a commie just breathed. I find it really interesting how ppl can just think "could", I feel you watch too much war movies. Talk to real people more, I think you will find that ppl are more the same than different, and we all want peace, good life, that is it. Oh all Chinese are spies. China can turn cars into killing machines, Westerners really watch too much science fiction and cold war movies. This never crossed our minds this could be a thing and no one is this boring and morally bad to do this. But seems Westerners really like to entertain these ideas.
  - llm_nerd 2y ago
    Didn't notice this comment previously as it happened days after. However since the government has revealed that ByteDance employees in Canada -- Chinese nationals -- have acted against the national security of Canada. And just to be clear, this has happened again, and again, and again, and again. This is a countless line of Chinese nationals and their organizations operating as fronts for the Chinese government. >Oh all Chinese are spies. Nope, but enough are that it's a recurring problem.

TeMPOraL 2y ago

Speaks volumes about perceived power balance between governments and corporations. You'd think that forcing a foreign company to operate through a national subsidiary would be beneficial to the government in terms of intelligence/counterintelligence, but apparently they worry it would be more beneficial to the company and/or its home country.