• Deceptichum@quokk.au
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    5 days ago

    They aren’t banning it because China can see what you put on it, they’re banning it because China can control what you see from it.

      • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        There’s no evidence that China can control what’s shown on a China-owned app?

        In case you’re still unaware, the China govt is the ultimate authority within China, even in private companies. More so after recent crackdowns on their oligarchs and billionaires. The idea that they have no control over tiktok is plain laughable.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          TikTok has gone out of their way to show they’ve siloed American operations. There has been no evidence that the Chinese government could or would breach that.

          • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works
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            5 days ago

            So you’re arguing that TikTok US, despite being fully owned and controlled by China, has full independence and decision making capability? Even regular western companies don’t have that. What the home office says, goes. At most, their American operations are making sure they’re abiding by US law with regards to data and such (and even then I’d highly doubt that, given all the forensic breakdowns about TikTok sending encrypted data to China).

            • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              If it sends encrypted data to China it would be the first I’ve heard of it. The worst the news could come up with last time is headcount data. And yes they went on an entire project to silo it. At the end of the day they want the money, and TikTok shop provides it. Other than that they sell the same info Meta does on the open market.

              • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works
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                5 days ago

                And yes they went on an entire project to silo it

                So? It doesn’t matter what internal bureaucratic sleight of hand they pull. The bosses are in the CCP, and when they say ‘jump’, the answer is going to be ‘how high?’. That’s how private companies work.

                At the end of the day they want the money

                TikTok wants money. The CCP wants other stuff. As long as the CCP isn’t making demands, TikTok will make their money. The moment the CCP says to do something, TikTok will do it.

              • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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                4 days ago

                I really don’t think China is nearly as interested in siphoning data as controlling the algorithm. Getting people to see more pro-Chinese videos, more anti-US videos, and some bias toward candidates they want to see win is completely doable without exfiltrating any data.

                Basically, all the stuff people are pissed about Musk doing to Twitter (changing algo to push right wing content) are just as feasible for TikTok to do, with the main difference being China is a state actor, whereas Musk is a private billionaire.

                We should be very worried about any social media app that’s very popular and controlled by an org with political motivations.

                • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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                  4 days ago

                  I mean sure, if you can find any evidence they’re actually doing that. We have the best intelligence agencies in the world, both domestic and foreign facing. So where’s the meat?

                  • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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                    4 days ago

                    Well, there’s a law to block it, and our intelligence agencies are pretty secretive, so there’s a good chance the proof exists.

                    I’m against banning it, not because I don’t think China is manipulating the algorithm (they probably are), but because I believe banning it is a violation of the 1st amendment. I refuse to use it, but I also refuse to ban others from using it.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                4 days ago

                If it sends encrypted data to China it would be the first I’ve heard of it.

                No shit. Do you think they would tell everyone? Do you think it would be easy to prove?

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          So are you saying they run the algorithm in their country? On their internal mirror app? The exact same setup TikTok offered the US?

          I don’t see how that’s the evidence you’re looking for.

      • Moc@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Inversely, they’re banning it because the US cannot control what is posted on it— regardless of whether the central party in China can (they can and they do though so I am not sure why you’re debating it).

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          Really? Then you can point to the news article that lays out evidence of that actually happening and not just quoting FUD?

          What the government wants out of this is to make an example. Then whenever they want something from Meta, Google, Apple, X, etc, they’re going to remind them of TikTok while pointing to the third section of the definition for foreign control. The catch all that says the app can be considered foreign if the government claims the owner has been unduly influenced by a foreign entity.

        • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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          5 days ago

          Sure, I’m just saying that Republicans are taking over and they rely on the disinformation machine to have a chance to get elected so banning TikTok goes against their interests.