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

businessinsider.com

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

#491

Post by gexla »

robbrown451 wrote: post #477
rumanator wrote: post #473

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the algorithm rewarded me with 100k's views Question: a) why do you interpret that as a reward? b) what leads you to believe those views are real or even meaningful?

These are odd questions to me. I can understand why someone might not care about having some level of "internet fame." But I can't really understand how someone can not get how that can be rewarding to many. Do you understand why people are rewarded by an audience applauding them? Do you understand why a musician would be excited to hear their song on the radio? As for how they know the views are real... do you think…

I don't know the intent of the questions, but they do seem reasonable.

Rewarding: Creators would also be interested in how engaged those viewers are. How well can this traffic convert into services which the creator might offer outside of TikTok? Would that traffic be worth the time of creating professional videos?

Real: This is a great question. Are the views real? I still have the story of Facebook faking video engagement numbers fresh in my brain. There's an argument that Facebook may be responsible for setting off the wave of intrusive auto-play video around the web.

I guess these are things which marketers will be working on, assuming the US doesn't block the application.

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

#492

Post by gbrown »

ehsankia wrote: post #462
randomsearch wrote: post #461

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HN commenter here who has spent a lot of time on TikTok as a relative wanted me to use it. Hard disagree on the OP. It’s like every social network starts out (more positive, no ads), but it has especially lowest-common-denominator content. It’s brilliantly engineered to suck your time away, I’m genuinely very impressed how manipulative it is, really a big step up. And at least one young relative is totally addicted t…

> It’s like every social network starts out Isn't that more reason to enjoy it while it's still great? Early youtube was fantastic, vine was a joy while it lasted, etc. > but it has especially lowest-common-denominator content Disagree. The whole point of having highly specialized recommendation algo is exactly to avoid LCD content. If I see low quality content, I instantly mark it as "uninterested". I have not seen…

> It's engineered to match your preference.

No, these things are literally engineered to maximize engagement. Preferences are complicated, and we often actually prefer to consume less content... or at least would prefer to prefer to do so. Apps don’t measure that, they see eyeballs and maximize.

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

#493

Post by gbrown »

leptoniscool wrote: post #391
Causality1 wrote: post #380

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it doesn't make up for the downside, which is installing robust surveillance software on your phone that sends data to and takes orders from China and is subject to their arbitrary control of messaging. You know what else has a super amazing upside that still doesn't make up for the downside? Methamphetamine.

I think you need to look up Edward Snowden.

While US surveillance is also bad, it’s not yet subject to the same levels of abuse as in China. Don’t get me wrong, if this administration could, I’m sure they’d find a way to compete on that front, but we’re not there yet.

The Chinese government is running forced sterilization, reeducation, and internment campaigns against Uighurs. They’re arresting people for being critical of the government online based on dragnet surveillance.

Again, I’m not defending the US on these points - we’re running concentration camps too, and the fourth amendment is under assault, but there are important differences of scale and severity.

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

#494

Post by Seasonwreckage »

johnchristopher wrote: post #455
Seasonwreckage wrote: post #445

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i need my freedom

And Tiktok took it away from you ?

I was replying to the fact that essentially in China you cant poke fun at the CCP in any way. Videos of Winnie the Pooh constumes will get you banned even in the US and possibly get you on a Chinese watch list for when you travel to the mainland and Hong Kong too nowadays.

There is all this flashy stuff, dances, lip sync, jokes and all that but a sinister shadowy world in the background. Just wondering when people are going to abandon convenience and take up freedom.

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

#495

Post by ericmay »

throw987542 wrote: post #329
ericmay wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t care what they do. I know China bans Facebook, google, etc. and then requires >50% ventures

Did you check? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wholly_foreign-owned_enterpris...

Yes. Notice that there are restricted enterprises?

It also doesn’t have anything to do with the banning of US companies.

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

#496

Post by ficklepickle »

maltelandwehr wrote: post #413
kenhwang wrote: post #406

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, Tiktok is the only social media platform I absolutely can't stand. Low quality content, repeated jokes, people desperate for attention, impersonal, memes, and all of it video so there's an unavoidable fixed time cost. With so much good high content available on the internet and how little time people have, it saddens me that so much time is spent on the low quality noise.

Low quality? TikTok videos are much better (in terms of story arc and editing) than Videos on other social networks. And it takes one swipe to go to the next video. The repeated jokes are part of the TikTok culture. Pure copycats will normally not go viral - only adaptions that add their own spin. I agree that it is an insane time killer. But that is because the content is so good and presented in and addictive way.

Please read "the machine stops" by E.M. Forrester

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

#497

Post by GoodJokes »

torbital wrote: post #314
notatoad wrote: post #302

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>It would help address the spyware concern by moving it to a US company it might help for some people Personally, i'm a little bit concerned that microsoft just received a $10bn DOD contract, and now the US government is essentially forcing a sale of TikTok to Microsoft. I'm not convinced that the company running the hot new social network (as well as all our source code) owing a bunch of favours to the US govermnent…

A company occasionally working together with the US government is very different than China's state-run companies.

Right, one works with the US and one works with China is different. US = good and China = bad. This is how world works. Grunt grunt

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

#498

Post by 2OEH8eoCRo0 »

throwaway78359 wrote: post #236

Throwaway for obvious reasons. I cannot understand what executive thinks this is a good idea or that it makes any sense in the broader organizational structure of Microsoft. It's been so nice to see five years or so of relatively GOOD acquisitions. LinkedIn made sense: it's allowed for a legitimate Salesforce compete, especially when paired with Dynamics. GitHub was incredibly smart and it aligns well with the resurg…

I don't see them as buying TikTok as much as they're buying users.

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

#499

Post by khuey »

glglwty wrote: post #449
khuey wrote: post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The premise of why a Chinese company(ies) should be singled out in this way is that China is a totalitarian state where people and corporations are subject to the absolute will of the Communist Party so "ByteDance is not the government of China" isn't going to convince anyone who believes this action is justified. If Facebook/Twitter/Alphabet were to be acquired by Chinese interests that would almost certainly be blo…

Should the US also ban foreign TV shows, music, books originated from totalitarian states? Because the producers are subject to the will of their governments and might be compelled into spreading propaganda although it has not happen? I personally believe that freedom will prevail and this kind of race to the bottom towards censorship and executive branch unilateralism is sad.

Should it? No, I don't think so. But I do think restricting Xinhua or KCNA is different from restricting the BBC or Le Monde or whatever.

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

#500

Post by badwolf »

throwaway78359 wrote: post #236

Throwaway for obvious reasons. I cannot understand what executive thinks this is a good idea or that it makes any sense in the broader organizational structure of Microsoft. It's been so nice to see five years or so of relatively GOOD acquisitions. LinkedIn made sense: it's allowed for a legitimate Salesforce compete, especially when paired with Dynamics. GitHub was incredibly smart and it aligns well with the resurg…

I find this exceptionally odd, after their somewhat abrupt shutdown of Mixer.
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