Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#141

Post by kumarvvr » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:44 PM UTC

hellomyguys wrote: post #137

kumarvvr wrote: post #131

What value does Microsoft get out of this? Looks like a desperate deal pushed by TikTok to get rid of "Chinese spyware" tag. The deal makes no absolute sense.

A massive video library for computer vision and a huge data set on user actions taken for each video. More bullish take... potentially the next YouTube.

Doesn't look like it's for the data.

For one thing, user gesture data or user action data can be automated with 3D software. Provides a far better set of training data.

Data for targeted advertisements? Microsoft is hardly in that business of selling ads.

I understand Mojang, because Minecraft is a platform that engages kids in meaningful ways. But TikTok is an app to waste time and shit post.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#142

Post by ferest » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:46 PM UTC

SwSwinger wrote: post #120

ferest wrote: post #97

In short, only American companies can have access to the brains of Americans. There is no law to prohibit an app of being used in US, and there is no evidence TikTok broke any existing law operating within US. All the talking point being so far is because it's a chinese company. This is literally how black people was treated. It's interesting to see how protectionism change the country brand of equal business opportu…

Protectionism arises when there is not equal business opportunity between nations and when nations have knowledge of unethical government campaigns using related corporations. I don't see how this is similar to treating black people. Maybe you meant Uighurs?

> hen nations have knowledge of unethical government campaigns using related corporations

NSA has pretty bad records of spying all over the world, and all US companies have to work with US judicatory system under the court permission. In that convention, all over the world should have blocked US companies.

> I don't see how this is similar to treating black people

Because their skin is black, not because there is evidence of any law breaking, they are treated differently.

I don't want to get into uighurs talk, "reeducation camp" could as well be a more restrict boarding school under different context, but this is not related.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#143

Post by billconan » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:47 PM UTC

I tried TikTok, I don't think it is as great as what others told me. The content is very repetitive.

I think imgur has better variations.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#144

Post by sanxiyn » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:48 PM UTC

colordrops wrote: post #115

ferest wrote: post #97

In short, only American companies can have access to the brains of Americans. There is no law to prohibit an app of being used in US, and there is no evidence TikTok broke any existing law operating within US. All the talking point being so far is because it's a chinese company. This is literally how black people was treated. It's interesting to see how protectionism change the country brand of equal business opportu…

The analogy would only make sense if black people were a foreign economic and nuclear powerhouse that have been blocking US apps with even more prejudice. Tit for tat restrictions are standard practice with international trade and not evidence of racism.

China does not block US apps.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#145

Post by moreorless » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:49 PM UTC

Not a single person seem to think that it is odd that we can simply order a foreign company to sell their business to an American company.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#146

Post by nicky0 » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:50 PM UTC

sprite wrote: post #83

slipheen wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From https://www.omnicoreagency.com/tiktok-statistics/ > 41 percent of TikTok users are aged between 16 and 24. That seems rather youth-heavy when compared to Facebook (Timeline), Twitter, YouTube, Instagram. Nothing inherently wrong with that, but it does come with risks.

What percentage is between 13-15? Or younger and lying about it. I would think 16-24 is their older user base.

My friend's kids, ages 9 and 11, are both obsessed with TikTok along with most of their school.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#147

Post by bigpumpkin » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:51 PM UTC

moreorless wrote: post #145

Not a single person seem to think that it is odd that we can simply order a foreign company to sell their business to an American company.

You ain't seen nothing yet. Wait until they break out the "Entities List".

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#148

Post by muststopmyths » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:51 PM UTC

hellomyguys wrote: post #130

muststopmyths wrote: post #114

Wait, so I'm going to have to install the TikTok For Business with Sharepoint integration in my Teams? I guess anything makes sense to a company that paid $26 billion USD for LinkedIn.

>I guess anything makes sense to a company that paid $26 billion USD for LinkedIn. Is there data to support that this was overvalued? Not personally a big fan of LinkedIn, but it seemed like probably a good long-term buy for Microsoft.

I don't know, tbh. But to my understanding, it was not profitable before the acquisition. It does generate ~5 billion dollars in revenue now, but Microsoft won't tell you how much of that is profit.

Even if I charitably apportion 1B profit (which I bet Microsoft would trumpet if that was a thing), that's 20+ years to make the 26B back.

My bigger problem with LinkedIn is that it's a cesspool of recruiter spam.

Lynda.com was the only worthwhile part of it, and I wonder if that's still around/popular.

I'm also bitter about them calling Windows Phone too expensive to keep going at around the same time, so I might be a bit biased :-)

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#149

Post by nothis » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:52 PM UTC

lhorie wrote: post #121

muststopmyths wrote: post #114

Wait, so I'm going to have to install the TikTok For Business with Sharepoint integration in my Teams? I guess anything makes sense to a company that paid $26 billion USD for LinkedIn.

Jokes aside, it probably would be a nice addition to their consumer-oriented portfolio (i.e. xbox, minecraft, etc), if they're planning to stay relevant in the FAANG-taking-over-the-world state of reality these days.

Steve Jobs once said about Microsoft that their only problem is that they have no taste. And it's decisions like this that illustrate what he meant. TikTok is such a clash with everything Microsoft stands for as a company (if there is such a thing). It makes no sense.

Re: Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

#150

Post by ferest » Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 7:52 PM UTC

sanxiyn wrote: post #144

colordrops wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The analogy would only make sense if black people were a foreign economic and nuclear powerhouse that have been blocking US apps with even more prejudice. Tit for tat restrictions are standard practice with international trade and not evidence of racism.

China does not block US apps.

yea that's how media made the headlines