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US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

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Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#141

Post by AlexTWithBeard »

Bhilai wrote: post #94
TheAdamAndChe wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calling the ban evil is a bit hyperbolic IMO, or maybe just incomplete. Phones with the software could easily be compromised. Users with the software can be profiled and tracked by the Chinese government pretty easily. The Chinese market bans most of America's social media software, and we're entering a trade war. All these are real, legitimate reasons to ban it.

> The Chinese market bans most of America's social media software, and we're entering a trade war. America is not China and should not frame its policies based on China's policies. While, I agree there is a need to retaliate but 'be like China' is hardly the way to do it.

If these policies work, then why not use them?

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#142

Post by withinboredom »

rrrrrrrrrrrryan wrote: post #118
baron_harkonnen wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing you don't have many Chinese friends, if you do I would recommend asking them how important it is for them. It is an essential form of communication for the large community of Chinese citizens in the US. If you have any Chinese friends I can promise you their families are worried about how they are going to keep in touch. It's also heavily used for intra-US communication in various Chinese communities. In…

It's a big pain, but surely they'll find another way to keep in touch, though? What do western people do in China to keep in touch with their families back home, when all the western social media apps are banned? It's hard for me to believe that a state-backed communications app is the only option available to Chinese expats.

> What do western people do in China to keep in touch with their families back home, when all the western social media apps are banned?

They change the country of their app store.

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#144

Post by ISL »

nairteashop wrote: post #133
chance_state wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait what? You need a "sponsor" to use WeChat?

Sponsor is perhaps a strong word. You need another WeChat user to verify your account by scanning a QR code displayed on your app using their app. You need to do this when you create an account, and also if you haven't used your account in a while. I assume this is some sort of anti-spam/anti-bot feature. Note that the above is just for the chat feature. You have to jump through more hoops if you want to make payment…

Not only is it an anti-spam feature, but a single personal connection gives substantial insight into a person's social graph.

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#145

Post by romwell »

apta wrote: post #139
peacefulhat wrote: post #20

WeChat ban is just evil, no justifiable benefit. Almost all the users in America are overseas Chinese who use it to talk to friends and family in China and send money.

That's because the CCP has banned non-CCP apps, they're getting a taste of their own medicine.

Yeah, let's follow CCP practices in the US, that'll show 'em!

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#146

Post by ardy42 »

dahfizz wrote: post #125
CWuestefeld wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems narrowly tailored to two apps. Doesn't that make it a Bill of Attainder, which is unconstitutional? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_attainder A bill of attainder (also known as an act of attainder or writ of attainder or bill of penalties) is an act of a legislature declaring a person, or a group of persons, guilty of some crime, and punishing them, often without a trial.

>is an act of a legislature Seems pretty clear that this does not apply to actions of the commerce department because they are not a legislature. They are not finding China / the apps guilty of a crime or punishing them for that crime. Even if Congress issued this ban, Congress has the explicit right to regulate commerce in the constitution. Trade embargo and sanctions are a very well established power of the governm…

Also this kind of action may intersect with constitutional foreign policy powers, which I think are far less familiar to regular people than other constitutional concepts from the Bill of Rights, etc.

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#147

Post by AlexTWithBeard »

johnnyfaehell wrote: post #71
TheAdamAndChe wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calling the ban evil is a bit hyperbolic IMO, or maybe just incomplete. Phones with the software could easily be compromised. Users with the software can be profiled and tracked by the Chinese government pretty easily. The Chinese market bans most of America's social media software, and we're entering a trade war. All these are real, legitimate reasons to ban it.

> Users with the software can be profiled and tracked by the Chinese government pretty easily. This is true of all apps coming out of the US with the NSA. Should Google, Facebook, Netflix be banned in Europe? > and we're entering a trade war. The trade war started a while ago and I'm pretty sure China is winning it.

> Should Google, Facebook, Netflix be banned in Europe?

Is there a decent European alternative to Google and Facebook?

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#148

Post by whoevercares »

apta wrote: post #139
peacefulhat wrote: post #20

WeChat ban is just evil, no justifiable benefit. Almost all the users in America are overseas Chinese who use it to talk to friends and family in China and send money.

That's because the CCP has banned non-CCP apps, they're getting a taste of their own medicine.

Who’s “they” here?

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#149

Post by johnnyfaehell »

claudeganon wrote: post #124
johnnyfaehell wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Users with the software can be profiled and tracked by the Chinese government pretty easily. This is true of all apps coming out of the US with the NSA. Should Google, Facebook, Netflix be banned in Europe? > and we're entering a trade war. The trade war started a while ago and I'm pretty sure China is winning it.

From a user security standpoint, absolutely. But given that Europe relies on the US for military protection and trade, it’s unlikely to happen.

> From a user security standpoint, absolutely. But given that Europe relies on the US for military protection and trade, it’s unlikely to happen.

Military protection from whom? Russia? Russia is not in a place to attack Europe. And the US can barely protect themselves from Russia. Who do you think the US is protecting Europe from? Because the saviour of Europe seems to be Turkey and their willingness to keep all the refugees at their border instead of letting them flood into Europe.

And I don't think Europe relies on the US for trade. They export more to Swizterland and the UK than they do the US.The US are a massive trading partner, but to say they rely on them is a flasehood.

And let's remember the EU has banned American products before. Apple is the main contender for those bans.

Re: US bans WeChat, TikTok from app stores, threatens shutdowns

#150

Post by johnnyfaehell »

AlexTWithBeard wrote: post #147
johnnyfaehell wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Users with the software can be profiled and tracked by the Chinese government pretty easily. This is true of all apps coming out of the US with the NSA. Should Google, Facebook, Netflix be banned in Europe? > and we're entering a trade war. The trade war started a while ago and I'm pretty sure China is winning it.

> Should Google, Facebook, Netflix be banned in Europe? Is there a decent European alternative to Google and Facebook?

If they banned them one would pop up real quick.
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