TikTok is the WMD of 2023

[speak easy]

Last edited Sat Mar 18, 2023, 03:52 PM - Edit history (1)

The Biden administration demands that TikTok be sold, or risk a nationwide ban

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/15/1163782845/tiktok-bytedance-sell-biden-administration

If there is one way to be sure Joe Biden and the Dems lose in 2024, it would be to ban TikTok. Like the WMDs in 2003, the National Security case is tenuous at best, and bogus at worst, but one thing TikTokers Do know for certain is that Mark Zuckerberg wants it gone yesterday, with Google/YouTube a close second.

If the Biden Administration carries out its threat to ban TikTok, it may kiss 2024, and Gen Z, goodbye. "The politician in me thinks you're gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever" - Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo

[Elessar Zappa]

1. Agree.

A lot of young people will stay home if TikTok is banned.

[Mosby]

44. A lot of young people stay home regardless.

Young people have by far the lowest turnout rates.

[pinkstarburst]

48. And if Biden bans TikTok, he will make sure

even more stay home. This would be the stupidest possible thing he could do.

[Walleye]

2. I get the feeling they will work out a deal about divesting from China

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. You don't make your case. You just state your thesis conclusion. You'll have to write more

What is the point of making a point with no support. A castle in the air.

What are your foundations?

[Celerity]

19. here is a link to the Gina Raimondo quote

Gina Raimondo and TikTok

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/16/metro/gina-raimondo-tiktok/

https://archive.is/4AzGH

Gina Raimondo probably wasn’t thinking a lot about TikTok when she was shaking hands with Rhode Island voters in high rises across the state during her two campaigns for governor.

But the wildly popular video-sharing app could soon become a major issue on the US commerce secretary’s plate as the Biden administration wrestles with the potential national security threats posed by a Chinese-owned company with access to American users’ personal data.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the administration is considering banning TikTok in the US if the Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd. refuses to sell its shares in the company. The app is already banned from government devices (so Raimondo can’t upload to TikTok when she’s hanging with President Biden), and the UK government is about to do the same, according to the BBC.

Raimondo told Bloomberg that although she hates TikTok because kids have become addicted to it, “the politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever.” She said she isn’t sure that banning a single company is the answer.

snip

[Bernardo de La Paz]

26. Thank you, Celerity. . . . nt

[Celerity]

27. yw

[hlthe2b]

4. Gen Z overwhelmngly supports Biden. To suggest they would turn MAGAT or RW over Tik Tok

certainly doesn't show much respect for that generation. You may as well just label them the "unbelievably shallow generation" if that is what you truly believe. Do I think they are too celebrity-obsessed? Yes--just like far too much of American culture. But tik tok is not the be-all, end-all. Social media platforms come and go. Myspace, anyone?

[BannonsLiver]

42. Your post doesn't show much respect for the power of human nature.

If you have a group of people who enjoy something very much, and then it is taken away from them, they are going to be displeased. Gen Z is not some magical generation immune to that. We already live in a grievance culture as it is.

[pinkstarburst]

49. How do you think seniors would react

if Biden drastically cut social security? He would certainly lose a huge chunk of votes because he would be taking away something that matters to them. And even if they didn't vote Republican, they might stay home.

TikTok isn't just used by people brainlessly scrolling to see the latest Tidepod challenge. Independent businesses depend on it in order to get their products out there. Everyone who uses Etsy is on there. All indie authors are on there. If Biden were to kill TikTok, it would severely damage the livelihoods of lots of people, in addition to taking away something young people love.

This would be a really stupid political move that would kill us in 2024.

[hlthe2b]

50. Equating the literal survival funds for many Americans in advanced age to Tik Tok? Really?

Sure, we have to have a way to post stupid dance videos, right? And only Tik Tok can do that and THAT makes it more important than the elderly being able to EAT... Did you EVEN stop to think how incredibly shallow that is? And THEN to suggest that the only mechanisms for business to get their message out there is not Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, ETSY's own website-- let alone THE ENTIRE INTERNET's capacity for their own websites--and the zillions of other social media forums, but only Tik Tok. OMG. You really ought to cover by suggesting your post was a joke because the points you made certainly are.

That is so ridiculous I'll give you no further time.

[pinkstarburst]

55. You don't get it

If you have a product that skews older, then Facebook probably works fine. TikTok works far better for under 35 because that's where younger users are.

But go ahead. Completely dismiss what I am saying and then be shocked when this loses us the election. All the people who are saying this is no big deal and this won't matter to people are not TikTok users, I'm guessing and probably don't understand that this will actually impact people in ways they are not thinking through.

[hlthe2b]

56. NO. YOU DON"T GET IT. Equating literal death of seniors to the inconvenience of losing Tik TOk

for tweens that share dance videos or others who don't want to find other means to share their Etsy offerings is repugnant as hell. Childish, quite frankly. Shallow is the kindest thing I can say for that kind of ridiculous positing.

[pinkstarburst]

57. You don't want to listen? Your choice.

But please don't be surprised when we lose the election if Biden bans TikTok. Just because something isn't important to you and wouldn't be something that would cause you to stay home on election day doesn't mean that others don't feel that way about it.

[treestar]

63. lol because trump is going to

never do any such thing right?

Why do Democrats have to contend with these people who just want to harm themselves out of revenge? And they don't give a shit about national security?

[hlthe2b]

66. Yup...

Fortunately, we do have the very intelligent and dedicated Gen-Z gun control activists (March For Our Lives) who emerged following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting to remind us that this kind of self-serving and immature attitude is not the majority.

But, damn...

[hlthe2b]

64. My guess is that is YOUR actual desire.

You may not be trolling but I'm not buying it.

[treestar]

62. because there are no other platforms and

never will be any other new platforms on the internet.

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. I am completely out of the loop on this issue. WTF is wrong with TikTok?

Why is this administration so concerned that it wants to alienate so man voters?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. TikTok is a Chinese company. By Chinese law, all companies must provide data on demand

Their executives say they don't, but the law is there and could be silently exercised at any time, if it is not already being done covertly. Law can also force companies to actively spy.

Enormous spy network.

It's already banned from government devices in US, UK, Canada and other places.

[Ferrets are Cool]

9. Thanks for the explanation.

[betsuni]

14. +1

[Whiskeytide]

20. Thanks for that. But I'm struggling to understand ...

… how it poses a legit threat.

It seems the problem is that the Chinese government can compel Tik Tok to turn over customer data. Ok. What is in that data that could be so valuable to the Chinese government? Most Tik Tok stuff I’ve seen is geared toward humor, often kind of silly, and certainly not a concern of national security.

Is the problem (as a post above suggests) that the platform installs spyware on your device? Ok. That could certainly be a serious problem. But 1) couldn’t it be countered with anti-spyware programs, and 2) if there is solid proof of that, why not expose it and kill the platform’s reputation. I don’t think even Gen Z wants anyone poking around in their phone data, right.

I suppose I’m very much out of the loop on this as well. But I’m seriously having trouble understanding what the big deal is.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. Associates of expats/dissidents. China puts pressure on them to spy or shut up

Works with the 30 or so Chinese "Police Stations" they have set up around the country.

Tracking military personnel and their movements may give a heads up around testing, big projects, etc.

Tracking funding and funders (big and small) of politicians in the US. Pressuring some to fund "preferred" candidates.

Industrial / corporate espionage.

Finding personal likes and associates of key personnel / politicians to blackmail them with. Think drugs, trans, LGBTQ2+, gambling, porn, mistresses, etc.

[Mad_Machine76]

38. +1

Same

[Lancero]

65. Supposedly, it's the US protecting our privacy.

But we have our own companies doing the exact same kind of shit that we love to accuse TikTok of doing.

Hell, here's a recent example of just that.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2022/07/ring-shares-data-with-police-without-consent-but-its-in-good-faith-says-amazon

US companies are frothing at the bit to see a foreign owned competitor banned. Capitalism, US style - Don't improve your own products, just ban the competition.

The ironic thing about people being afraid of 'Chyna!' installing spyware on your phone is that if they actually wanted to do that then they wouldn't have to rely on TikTok as the backdoor. Most of the phones are built in China, so if they wanted spyware installed then it'd be done at the factory.

[Johnny2X2X]

8. It's basically Chinese spyware

The Chinese are using TickTok to spy on our government and on the American people.

[speak easy]

12. and Facebook is basically American spyware.

[Johnny2X2X]

22. Facebook isn't reporting their data to the government

The Chinese government is processing and using the data collected on TickTok, Facebook has some government oversight, but they don't share everything with the government.

[speak easy]

29. "The Chinese government is processing and using the data collected on TickTok"

That is pure supposition. Can anyone play?

'The American Government is processing and using the data collected by the NSA from Facebook'

-see how that works?

[Voltaire2]

59. except when they do.

And how it is so much less awful that the oligopoly has your data but the government has to subpoena it escapes me.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

51. Isn't Facebook

banned in China ?

[speak easy]

53. Indeed, Facebook is banned in China,

for the same reason TikTok would be banned in the U.S. - it collects information on citizens that could be accessible to a hostile government.

[Voltaire2]

60. yup. So we should also have a Great Firewall?

Are we trying to be just as awful as the chinese government?

[themaguffin]

15. Exactly. Not sure why the OP is hellbent on defending China who

bans our apps - or at best significantly restricts and censors them... all while stealing our IP and in that's not even getting into the security issues. This is the second post within a day from the say person defending TikTok. Oof.

[speak easy]

16. I'm hell bent on winning the next election.

Banning TikTok is the ultimate fuck around and find out.

[themaguffin]

18. You're making a false argument. "Biden" wouldn't be the one banning it & I doubt it gets

...banned outright.

[speak easy]

21. Biden administration demands ...

Biden administration demands TikTok’s Chinese owners spin off their share or face US ban
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/15/tech/tiktok-cfius/index.html

[themaguffin]

39. That's the same as Justice Dept scenario etc.

[Autumn]

33. Biden is the head of his administration isn't he?

[themaguffin]

40. Yes. I didn't say otherwise

[Autumn]

41. If it's banned Biden will be the one signing off on it.

You're making a false argument. "Biden" wouldn't be the one banning it & I doubt it gets

...banned outright.

[Johnny2X2X]

23. I disagree

TickTok could be banned and it wouldn't cost Biden hardly any votes.

[speak easy]

30. Wanna bet the 2024 election on it?

Is banning TikTok bad politics? Some U.S. officials think so.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/09/is-banning-tiktok-bad-politics-some-us-officials-think-so/

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo offered a candid assessment of how banning TikTok might land with constituents in a Bloomberg News interview. “The politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever,” she said.

[Autumn]

31. Have you ever looked at TikToK? A hell of a lot of young people on there who supported Biden

and helped get him and the Dems elected.

[Johnny2X2X]

34. And?

So what, if TickTok is hurting our national security and is banned because of it, you think TickTok users will vote for Trump? People like TickTok, sure, but banning it isn't going to sway votes.

Do people think young people are that shallow? They turned out for Biden to save our Democracy and he's delivered a ton for them. Banning a social media platform they use because it's deemed a threat to national security is going to be something 99.9% of voters understand.

[Autumn]

37. Wait and see. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo disagrees with you.

she hates TikTok because kids have become addicted to it, “the politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever.”

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/16/metro/gina-raimondo-tiktok/

I think she's right. And as for what Biden delivered for the young voters, much was taken away by corrupt judges and Republicans.

[hlthe2b]

52. Apparently some here DO think young people are that shallow. Check out the reply to me upstream

--equating banning Tik Tok with the elimination of Social Security. Yes, really.

OMG. Time for me to take a break, I guess.

[Autumn]

24. They better buy it because if our government bans it there are going to be a lot

of really pissed off people. Fuck around and find out is right.

[Celerity]

28. It looks like this ban may well happen, so expect major pushback on anyone who tries to point

out what you are correctly saying now.............

Possible TikTok ban, Willow oil project approval (which is already tied up in the courts again via multiple lawsuits), entertaining the idea of bringing back family separation on immigration, reversing course and going against DC home rule on their crime bill, and the earlier carbon bomb mega oil lease auction for the Gulf (granted that was before Klain left) etc etc.

It seems since Ron Klain left as Biden's Chief of Staff (Klain was the conduit to the left half or so of our Party) it is like someone looked at this:



and said:

(this is sarcasm just to be clear)

'OMG!, we cannot have 18 to 34 year olds supporting Biden as the nominee in 2024 by a net 48 points HIGHER than the older Gen Xers and the younger Boomers'. Quick!, let's start supporting things they hate, even if it means breaking foundational campaign promises and/or removing vital tactics (smashing Trump over and over and over on family separation, for instance) from the toolbox.

(sarcasm off)

It also ignores the facts that we (younger voters, Millennials and Gen Z to be specific in this case) will likely equal Boomers and up in terms of actual votes (not just registered voters) in 2024.

Also we are vastly more Democratic in our voting patterns than the older gens (especially Boomers and up, but now, worryingly starting to include older Gen Xers). We helped turbocharge the 2018 Blue Wave, were a key factor in Biden's 2020 win, and helped turn the Red Wave into a puddle splash in 2022.

[betsuni]

10. ...

[2naSalit]

17. +1

[Cattledog]

11. Go ahead and vote for the GOP who

bans the abortion pill, books, drag shows, talking about race, etc.

[speak easy]

13. 'bans on the abortion pill, books, drag shows, talking about race, etc.'

are precisely the reason you don't fuck around by banning TikTok and see what happens.

[inthewind21]

32. smh

The media the media the media! The republicans cheat! Trump Trump Trump! Twitter!!!!! Disinformation! Chinese crap in Wal Mart! Wait, touch our Tic Tok and we're not voting! And some wonder how we got here.

[Autumn]

35. The problem we have here is that people vote for the party that represents them.

A party doesn't represent them people don't vote for them. Republicans fucked around and found that out in 2020 and 2022. Young voters showed up.

[ripcord]

36. What happens if young people start violating the ban?

Will we see mass prosecutions?

[themaguffin]

45. Few would. How many young people are going try to load and update an app outside of Apple/Google?

[Caliman73]

43. There are very legitimate reasons for this position.

Tik Tok is literally a data gathering tool and the Chinese government has used it very effectively to influence social and political actions.

It is not an "innocent" app that just so happened to come under unfair scrutiny. The problem is that this fervor stated with idiot right wingers talking about it, and like they do with everything, the poison an actual, legitimate discussion with their racist and xenophobic stupidity.

The link between Tik Tok and the Chinese government needs to be cut off in order to make sure we actually have a safe app for Americans to use.

[W_HAMILTON]

47. So their talk -- emphasis on talk -- about climate change, gender issues...

...reproductive rights, income inequality, etc. all take a backseat when it comes their favorite app, huh?

I think it's dumb to ban TikTok everywhere just because if these kids don't care if China is stealing their personal information to use for whatever purposes they want, why should anyone else, but I'm fine with them banning it on government devices so as to prevent sensitive information from falling into their hands.

But if they would quickly abandon their oft-proclaimed ideals in favor of fucking TikTok, yeah, that sounds about right...

[pinkstarburst]

54. Banning TikTok would piss off young voters

We were so close in some of the swing states. It would be so, so stupid to pull a move like this and take away something that millions of under 35s love, that millions of independent business owners use to reach their markets, and then be shocked then those people who are impacted choose to stay home on election day.

We do not want Biden or dems tagged with killing TikTok.

[Voltaire2]

61. We should be identified as the political party that isn't banning everything they don't like.