TikTok and China (1 Viewer)

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    Huntn

    Misty Mountains Envoy
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    I have a question about TikTok, if there is an ability to “spy” I’m not sure what that means other than the ability to do something like insert false narratives during election time or to blunt valid critiques of China through manipulation by agents of China which btw is a valid concern in all social media, and not just China but all foreign players if they are validly deemed hostile to the US (or apply this standard to any country on either end of the issue, as manipulator or manipulated).

    For the former, ”spying” , I would think that programming experts would be able dissect the software and find the ability to spy, but for the latter which is a valid concern I am more sympathetic to the idea of banning China if there is a history of false narratives favorable to China, or detrimental to US elections being used to manipulate the sheep.

     
    I dont know enough about tech to really know exactly how TikTok would be "spying" other than its some sort of spyware that tracks location/keystrokes/sites visited and looks for keywords that widdle down the MILLIONS of users to those deemed "useful"

    Then maybe audio/video recordings remotely?
     
    I think the case for shutting it down has more to do with the exposure level.

    Allowing a Chinese Government entity the ability to record data from millions of Americans is enough to give pause for sure.

    Then there is the theory that allowing them to control the algorithms, and ultimately manipulate what content Americans (especially kids who are the largest user of the site) view can have some tangible and unknown societal impacts- basically a massive, uncontrolled social experiment.

    I read an article about how the content that children in their country see is education based and having families.

    Our kids get dumbed down content, showing decadence and leisure

    I don’t pretend to know enough about data mining to know if that article is accurate or fear porn but tend to think (hope?) the latter.

    I know my daughters use the hell out of that site. They seem fine.
     
    I think the case for shutting it down has more to do with the exposure level.

    Allowing a Chinese Government entity the ability to record data from millions of Americans is enough to give pause for sure.

    Then there is the theory that allowing them to control the algorithms, and ultimately manipulate what content Americans (especially kids who are the largest user of the site) view can have some tangible and unknown societal impacts- basically a massive, uncontrolled social experiment.

    I read an article about how the content that children in their country see is education based and having families.

    Our kids get dumbed down content, showing decadence and leisure

    I don’t pretend to know enough about data mining to know if that article is accurate or fear porn but tend to think (hope?) the latter.

    I know my daughters use the hell out of that site. They seem fine.

    Putting the Chinese government concerns to the side for a second, what's the difference in the type of content that kids/people get on TikTok as opposed to any other social media app?

    Me and my 16-year old don't use TikTok, but my partner is always on it. Most of the post that he shows me from there is the same crap I've seen on Facebook Reels. As I understand it, it's mostly used by millennials now.
     
    Putting the Chinese government concerns to the side for a second, what's the difference in the type of content that kids/people get on TikTok as opposed to any other social media app?

    Me and my 16-year old don't use TikTok, but my partner is always on it. Most of the post that he shows me from there is the same crap I've seen on Facebook Reels. As I understand it, it's mostly used by millennials now.
    No I don’t think they show anything different, that is why I think the article was fear porn.

    I don’t use anything but SaintsReport so I am worthless on what is on it.
     
    I have a question about TikTok, if there is an ability to “spy” I’m not sure what that means other than the ability to do something like insert false narratives during election time or to blunt valid critiques of China through manipulation by agents of China which btw is a valid concern in all social media, and not just China but all foreign players if they are validly deemed hostile to the US (or apply this standard to any country on either end of the issue, as manipulator or manipulated).

    For the former, ”spying” , I would think that programming experts would be able dissect the software and find the ability to spy, but for the latter which is a valid concern I am more sympathetic to the idea of banning China if there is a history of false narratives favorable to China, or detrimental to US elections being used to manipulate the sheep.

    The accusation has been made that the software is being used to track journalists…to silence dissent, I suppose in Chins or everywhere? :unsure:
     
    The hearing yesterday was pathetic. They were so all in on "China, China, China", they weren't really concerned about privacy, they only cared about making a show about being tough on China.

    Every time the TicTok guy tried to explain that they weren't doing anything that other social media companies weren't doing, they would shut him down and bring up the CCP.

    I do hope they ban TicTok, but only because i would support them just getting rid of all social media. The bad far outweighs the good. Social media is cancer.

    We shouldn't really care if it's Mark Zuckerberg or Xi abusing our children's privacy, or poisoning them with targeted ads or radicalizing them and destroying their mental health with algorithms.
     
    The hearing yesterday was pathetic. They were so all in on "China, China, China", they weren't really concerned about privacy, they only cared about making a show about being tough on China.

    Every time the TicTok guy tried to explain that they weren't doing anything that other social media companies weren't doing, they would shut him down and bring up the CCP.

    I do hope they ban TicTok, but only because i would support them just getting rid of all social media. The bad far outweighs the good. Social media is cancer.

    We shouldn't really care if it's Mark Zuckerberg or Xi abusing our children's privacy, or poisoning them with targeted ads or radicalizing them and destroying their mental health with algorithms.

    The big concern for the government is that China could easily influence opinions via feed manipulation. I'm not sure the data really matters. Tencent is a Chinese mobile game company that collects a massive amount of data.

    The government should do more to protect data, and pass something like the GDPR. That's probably a long ways off though.

    I don't feel bad for China though. They are not an open market. They don't allow foreign companies. Their protest should be falling on deaf ears.
     
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