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Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

reuters.com

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Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#81

Post by azinman2 »

KerrickStaley wrote: post #79

This is a very tinfoil-hat-y perspective, but is it possible that this action gained support inside the Trump White House because it makes life more difficult for Grindr? I think the theory that it's about potential blackmail and extortion is a more likely explanation, and overall I think it makes sense for the government to take this action, but it might have been boosted by ulterior motives (see also CNN/AT&T/Time…

But they’re seeking to have it be sold... not shutdown. So why would that be part of the WH agenda?

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#82

Post by [deleted] »

sneak wrote: post #56
Rebelgecko wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few things. It's based on nation, not race. The government doesn't care if your spouse is a 5th generation Chinese-American, they care if you have close family that is under the influence of a foreign government. It's not an auto-blacklist or anything, you can be born in China and still have a US security clearance. Discriminating based on citizenship status is usually illegal, but US security clearance is typicall…

> The relevant anti-discrimination laws have an exemption for "national security purposes" So, the latter: they get a free pass to do racial and national origin discrimination. That was my answer, thank you.

[deleted]

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#83

Post by azinman2 »

CharlesColeman wrote: post #23
yorwba wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Replace grindr by some_other_site where some_other_site.orientation != 'straight' or some_other_site.fetish in (...) and it works out to the same result, no?

Yeah, definitely. I think it's arguable the same rational could even apply to a dating site for straight people. It would take a little more work and probably be less fruitful overall, but an adversary's intelligence agency could use it identify straight people (with security clearances) who may be trying to cheat on their spouses or whose marriage is disintegrating. Both of those situations could open someone up to…

Knowing someone is gay is a classic blackmail situation, particularly within the gov world. Grindr is very sexually charged, so you get the most extreme sensitive bits here, combined with high profile people that are closeted and don’t want this information leaked. Not the same situation.

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#84

Post by KaoruAoiShiho »

killjoywashere wrote: post #21
devy wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first line of the article reads: ... Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd is seeking to sell Grindr LLC, the popular gay dating app it has owned since 2016. So what's the point here? The Chinese gaming company has already owned it for over 2 years and have access to the data already.

Right, they got what they wanted out of it, so now they are just selling the trash. The fact that they're selling, coupled with the basis for the decision to sell, will probably crater the price. And I suspect this will have an adverse effect on Grindr's monthly-user count, which won't help that sale price. Wouldn't be surprised if Grindr folds. And that will have a deterrent effect on other companies interested in C…

They don't want to sell... they're only forced to sell by the US government.

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#85

Post by throwaway8879 »

sneak wrote: post #56
Rebelgecko wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few things. It's based on nation, not race. The government doesn't care if your spouse is a 5th generation Chinese-American, they care if you have close family that is under the influence of a foreign government. It's not an auto-blacklist or anything, you can be born in China and still have a US security clearance. Discriminating based on citizenship status is usually illegal, but US security clearance is typicall…

> The relevant anti-discrimination laws have an exemption for "national security purposes" So, the latter: they get a free pass to do racial and national origin discrimination. That was my answer, thank you.

It is naive to think that principles and virtues need apply when it comes to national security. There are horrible but difficult things being done right now in every country's intelligence communities to protect the citizens of those countries. Racism has nothing to do with it.

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#86

Post by ardy42 »

forks25 wrote: post #80
sneak wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is this not naked racism? Or do race-based anti-discrimination laws simply not apply to some government jobs?

It sounds like you just don't understand how security clearances work. Its about allegiance to a country. Not your race. If you come to the US from China, revoke your Chinese citizenship, become a US citizen and limit your contact to Chinese citizens, you can get a security clearance. Also a security clearance is not a right.

> Its about allegiance to a country. Not your race.

Also vulnerability to manipulation. So you'll be denied if you're heavily in debt and have a gambling problem, even if you're absolutely loyal and patriotic.

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#87

Post by forks25 »

coolspot wrote: post #31
killjoywashere wrote: post #19

Nice to see someone taking the Chinese foothold in SV seriously. I've also heard people who go to work for Chinese companies are then blacklisted from US Government defense- and intel-related work for 1 year. Can anyone confirm?

Probably shadowbanned, like you will not get you clearance/background check passed by untold reason.

Actually when you get denied a clearance they give you a statement of reasons (SOR) in your rejection letter which you have a certain period to rebut. (I think 30 days?)

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#88

Post by forks25 »

ardy42 wrote: post #86
forks25 wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like you just don't understand how security clearances work. Its about allegiance to a country. Not your race. If you come to the US from China, revoke your Chinese citizenship, become a US citizen and limit your contact to Chinese citizens, you can get a security clearance. Also a security clearance is not a right.

> Its about allegiance to a country. Not your race. Also vulnerability to manipulation. So you'll be denied if you're heavily in debt and have a gambling problem, even if you're absolutely loyal and patriotic.

It's also about not browsing porn at work... :P

You would think people would know better but if you ever get bored and decided to browse clearance rejection decisions you see dozens of people losing their clearance each year because they looked at porn on their work computer.

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#89

Post by waste_monk »

forks25 wrote: post #80
sneak wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is this not naked racism? Or do race-based anti-discrimination laws simply not apply to some government jobs?

It sounds like you just don't understand how security clearances work. Its about allegiance to a country. Not your race. If you come to the US from China, revoke your Chinese citizenship, become a US citizen and limit your contact to Chinese citizens, you can get a security clearance. Also a security clearance is not a right.

There is a list of countries (Iran and friends, I'm not sure if China was on the list) that if you have or had ever previously held citizenship you are permanently barred from working with ITAR controlled materiel.

The reason being that otherwise there's nothing stopping you from renouncing your citizenship, stealing the secrets, and defecting in exchange for being granted citizenship again.

Re: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app

#90

Post by kbos87 »

forks25 wrote: post #87
coolspot wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably shadowbanned, like you will not get you clearance/background check passed by untold reason.

Actually when you get denied a clearance they give you a statement of reasons (SOR) in your rejection letter which you have a certain period to rebut. (I think 30 days?)

Guessing they have a dozen vague reasons on the ready to cite without any further explanations required
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