3 ms·

How the US TikTok Ban Would Work

3 points by belter 2y ago

FrustratedMonky 2y ago
Didn't Trump want the ban? It was part of the Republican platform, and passed by Republican Congress. Why the change of heart?
- zoezoezoezoe 2y ago
  it's called a 180, quite common in politics, no one has actual morals, all they care about it approval, and with the likely hood that 99% of trumps other suggested policies aren't going to be approved by the majority of people, he can distract people by claiming "look guys, I stopped the tiktok ban, so you have to like me, just ignore everything else." The goal of every bad faith world leader is to keep their populous stupid and ignorant, this type of thing is very common, if the government can make people focus on some policy that brings headlines, but is ultimately fruitless, they can silently pass bills that actually mean something with no one looking their way.
- thecoppinger 2y ago
  Jeff Yass, see: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/us/politics/trump-tik-tok-ban.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/us/politics/trump-tik-tok...
zoezoezoezoe 2y ago
I wonder if VPN companies are allowed to advertise that they can bypass the ban, that would be a great marketing campaign, but I dont think it can be that on the nose.
- jfengel 2y ago
  I dunno, but I don't see it working very well. TikTok's popularity has a strong network effect: you're using it because your friends are using it. You share with them, remix videos for them, you all share in the social zeitgeist together. With Americans mostly excluded, it will become a foreign-feeling place when a few look at it through a VPN. A lot of videos will be shared through other means (Instagram, YouTube, etc.) Maybe one of those will be the new beneficiary of the network effect.
  - zoezoezoezoe 2y ago
    that's a fair point. I do agree that instagram or youtube will replace tiktok if the ban succeeds
stevenjgarner 2y ago
Shutting Down TikTok May Not End Well https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42661807 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42661807

3 points by belter 2y ago

Didn't Trump want the ban? It was part of the Republican platform, and passed by Republican Congress. Why the change of heart?

zoezoezoezoe 2y ago
it's called a 180, quite common in politics, no one has actual morals, all they care about it approval, and with the likely hood that 99% of trumps other suggested policies aren't going to be approved by the majority of people, he can distract people by claiming "look guys, I stopped the tiktok ban, so you have to like me, just ignore everything else." The goal of every bad faith world leader is to keep their populous stupid and ignorant, this type of thing is very common, if the government can make people focus on some policy that brings headlines, but is ultimately fruitless, they can silently pass bills that actually mean something with no one looking their way.
thecoppinger 2y ago
Jeff Yass, see: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/us/politics/trump-tik-tok-ban.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/us/politics/trump-tik-tok...

zoezoezoezoe 2y ago

I wonder if VPN companies are allowed to advertise that they can bypass the ban, that would be a great marketing campaign, but I dont think it can be that on the nose.

jfengel 2y ago
I dunno, but I don't see it working very well. TikTok's popularity has a strong network effect: you're using it because your friends are using it. You share with them, remix videos for them, you all share in the social zeitgeist together. With Americans mostly excluded, it will become a foreign-feeling place when a few look at it through a VPN. A lot of videos will be shared through other means (Instagram, YouTube, etc.) Maybe one of those will be the new beneficiary of the network effect.
- zoezoezoezoe 2y ago
  that's a fair point. I do agree that instagram or youtube will replace tiktok if the ban succeeds

stevenjgarner 2y ago

Shutting Down TikTok May Not End Well https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42661807 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42661807