5 ms·

TikTok could bypass US blockade by making a PWA

31 points by lknik 2y ago

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
lbhdc 2y ago
I think what this misses is that TikTok will lose the ability to pay content creators. It may also cause legal repercussions for advertisers who want to spend on the platform. From TikToks perspective, they may want the hard decouple so their users pressure their representatives. If they make a pwa or some other means to subvert the ban available it could undermine peoples desire to act.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- to11mtm 2y ago
  Ding ding ding!. They have a web-app, IDK if it works as the equivalent of a PWA or not, however it would likely mean all sorts of legal hurdles not just for the advertisers and the payees of that advert money (creators). Attempts to subvert that would just be fuel to push for heightened AML/KYC regs. > If they make a pwa or some other means to subvert the ban available it could undermine peoples desire to act. To your point, making a PWA would be the worst idea at the moment; all the hurdles of advertising dollars in and paying content creators out still exist, but the user base (if you're gonna put pressure you want numbers) will likely just think 'oh here is a workaround' and just live with it. [0] On the other hand, it's perhaps a gambit's bluff; By that I mean, a PWA is probably far less 'intrusive' than your typical installed app, and could be a way to push back against the claims of it being used for 'surveillance'. [1] [0] - I mean, Reddit's mobile app is trash but they try to force you to use it anyway... [1] - I'm willing to accept this as a possibility but I'd need more proof than the bit of anecdata I have that they are more malevolent than FB/Alpha/etc to change my overall position, will admit some of that response is because some of those companies have had US tendrils involved for a long time...
hammock 2y ago
My experience with PWAs is… not great. What are the best and/or most popular PWAs?
- ycombinatrix 2y ago
  Youtube is probably one of the most popular
- Qem 2y ago
  Not that popular yet, but the Newspeak programming language runs entirely as a PWA, up to the IDE. Makes it really easy to set up. See https://github.com/newspeaklanguage/newspeak https://github.com/newspeaklanguage/newspeak and https://groups.google.com/g/newspeaklanguage/c/s7c74c4QVvM https://groups.google.com/g/newspeaklanguage/c/s7c74c4QVvM
- bob1029 2y ago
  I think the Starbucks PWA is pretty good example from an implementation standpoint.
- Sateeshm 2y ago
  In India, most delivery apps have PWA variants which include tobacco products that aren't available in the mobile apps. These PWAs work fine and I don't see any difference in performance.
- dzhiurgis 2y ago
  Facebook and Instagram are almost useable. Messenger.com is PITA. X/twitter pretty ok.
anothername12 2y ago
They took my porn in Texas an now this wtf
dlcarrier 2y ago
They already have a mobile web interface, that anyone can crate a shortcut to. It'll work fine as-is, with or without a 'PWA' buzzword. If a government really wanted to block internet access to a service provider, they'd block access to their servers, on all ports. The workaround would be a VPN, not a web interface. The US has this strange banning-but-not-really, because really banning it would be prohibited by the constitution's first amendment.
- exabrial 2y ago
  It desperately forwards you to the app store right now.
  - dlcarrier 2y ago
    Given the choice, they'd much rather you use the version that has much better access to location data and notifications, but barring access to that, they'll likely turn off the nagging and let you use the web interface in peace.
- metalcrow 2y ago
  How exactly would the do this block? At the ISP level? I don't _think_ the US Government has ever done that before, a block on that level would be pretty unprecedented and might be more then they are willing to do.
sschueller 2y ago
Funny is that even with the executive order to not enforce the law for now, it puts Apple and Google in legal limbo if they don't remove the app. They are the ones that will have to pay huge fines, not TikTok.
- datavirtue 2y ago
  The executive branch whose first and only job during times of peace is to enforce the laws is now expected to not enforce the law? This whole fiasco is dumb.
n144q 2y ago
Aren't CDNs also going to be liable if they serve TikTok content?
gausswho 2y ago
App stores being a useful tool of state control (vis a vis the open web) does make one wonder if it factors into the government pursuing them as an abuse of market competition.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
dmvjs 2y ago
the API is more limited on the web vs native
methou 2y ago
I'm seeing many sites sending my behavior data to analytics.tiktok, will this be a part of the us blockade?
adastra22 2y ago
Blockade? That’s quite some hyperbole. A blockade is an act of war.

31 points by lknik 2y ago

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

I think what this misses is that TikTok will lose the ability to pay content creators. It may also cause legal repercussions for advertisers who want to spend on the platform. From TikToks perspective, they may want the hard decouple so their users pressure their representatives. If they make a pwa or some other means to subvert the ban available it could undermine peoples desire to act.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
to11mtm 2y ago
Ding ding ding!. They have a web-app, IDK if it works as the equivalent of a PWA or not, however it would likely mean all sorts of legal hurdles not just for the advertisers and the payees of that advert money (creators). Attempts to subvert that would just be fuel to push for heightened AML/KYC regs. > If they make a pwa or some other means to subvert the ban available it could undermine peoples desire to act. To your point, making a PWA would be the worst idea at the moment; all the hurdles of advertising dollars in and paying content creators out still exist, but the user base (if you're gonna put pressure you want numbers) will likely just think 'oh here is a workaround' and just live with it. [0] On the other hand, it's perhaps a gambit's bluff; By that I mean, a PWA is probably far less 'intrusive' than your typical installed app, and could be a way to push back against the claims of it being used for 'surveillance'. [1] [0] - I mean, Reddit's mobile app is trash but they try to force you to use it anyway... [1] - I'm willing to accept this as a possibility but I'd need more proof than the bit of anecdata I have that they are more malevolent than FB/Alpha/etc to change my overall position, will admit some of that response is because some of those companies have had US tendrils involved for a long time...

hammock 2y ago

My experience with PWAs is… not great. What are the best and/or most popular PWAs?

ycombinatrix 2y ago
Youtube is probably one of the most popular
Qem 2y ago
Not that popular yet, but the Newspeak programming language runs entirely as a PWA, up to the IDE. Makes it really easy to set up. See https://github.com/newspeaklanguage/newspeak https://github.com/newspeaklanguage/newspeak and https://groups.google.com/g/newspeaklanguage/c/s7c74c4QVvM https://groups.google.com/g/newspeaklanguage/c/s7c74c4QVvM
bob1029 2y ago
I think the Starbucks PWA is pretty good example from an implementation standpoint.
Sateeshm 2y ago
In India, most delivery apps have PWA variants which include tobacco products that aren't available in the mobile apps. These PWAs work fine and I don't see any difference in performance.
dzhiurgis 2y ago
Facebook and Instagram are almost useable. Messenger.com is PITA. X/twitter pretty ok.

anothername12 2y ago

They took my porn in Texas an now this wtf

dlcarrier 2y ago

They already have a mobile web interface, that anyone can crate a shortcut to. It'll work fine as-is, with or without a 'PWA' buzzword. If a government really wanted to block internet access to a service provider, they'd block access to their servers, on all ports. The workaround would be a VPN, not a web interface. The US has this strange banning-but-not-really, because really banning it would be prohibited by the constitution's first amendment.

exabrial 2y ago
It desperately forwards you to the app store right now.
- dlcarrier 2y ago
  Given the choice, they'd much rather you use the version that has much better access to location data and notifications, but barring access to that, they'll likely turn off the nagging and let you use the web interface in peace.
metalcrow 2y ago
How exactly would the do this block? At the ISP level? I don't _think_ the US Government has ever done that before, a block on that level would be pretty unprecedented and might be more then they are willing to do.

sschueller 2y ago

Funny is that even with the executive order to not enforce the law for now, it puts Apple and Google in legal limbo if they don't remove the app. They are the ones that will have to pay huge fines, not TikTok.

datavirtue 2y ago
The executive branch whose first and only job during times of peace is to enforce the laws is now expected to not enforce the law? This whole fiasco is dumb.

n144q 2y ago

Aren't CDNs also going to be liable if they serve TikTok content?

gausswho 2y ago

App stores being a useful tool of state control (vis a vis the open web) does make one wonder if it factors into the government pursuing them as an abuse of market competition.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

dmvjs 2y ago

the API is more limited on the web vs native

methou 2y ago

I'm seeing many sites sending my behavior data to analytics.tiktok, will this be a part of the us blockade?

adastra22 2y ago

Blockade? That’s quite some hyperbole. A blockade is an act of war.