As TikTok grows, so does suspicion • Hacker News Board

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#391

Post by grapeskin » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:37 AM UTC

illuminati1911 wrote: post #309

Al-Khwarizmi wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would be surprised if you polled non-US, non-China citizens about what country is the biggest geopolitical threat to the world. Wait, I don't even need to talk in conditionals. I Googled it and apparently it has indeed been done several times, and the results are what I expected. https://brilliantmaps.com/threat-to-peace/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/05/us-threat-demo...

Quoted post unavailable.

Yeah. Look up death totals from external conflicts from the past two decades and you’ll see one country is an absolutely colossal threat.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#392

Post by lifeformed » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:41 AM UTC

recroad wrote: post #369

Calvin02 wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. China and Russia are the biggest geopolitical threats to the world. It is surprisingly that simple. While the US and the western governments have their issues, they are still largely law abiding. China, however, is not. Additionally, under Xi, it has become more authoritarian and more willing to undo the rules based order that has someone kept the world somewhat sane since WWII. I don’t know why anyone would be…

> I don’t know why anyone would be afraid to say this. For free of being called xenophobic and racist.

You're the only one in this thread bringing that up.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#393

Post by burntbridge » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:43 AM UTC

jes wrote: post #330

phyrex wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How are they “The Enemy”? Are they coming and killing Americans or is it just generic xenophobia?

I found this[1] report (PDF) from the DEA: "Currently, China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations environment, as well as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States. Seizures of fentanyl sourced from China average less than one kilogram in weight, and often test above 9…

>Presumably, if the CCP wanted to do so, they could put an end to the groups shipping this deadly substance into the United States.

Presumably, if the United States wanted to do so, they could put an end to the groups shipping this deadly substance from the China.

Just changed the wording a little to show the bias in this sentence. Why do think China would be more successful than the U.S. in prohibiting illegal drugs?

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#394

Post by dburflzz » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:43 AM UTC

mikae1 wrote: post #100

crmd wrote: post #28

85% of US teenagers use tiktok. That's 85% of the future generation of US senators, Cabinet members, and Supreme Court justices, of police chiefs, civil rights activists, mayors, CEOs, etc. in their bedrooms right now consuming content curated by, and filming their lives and that of their friends, and uploading the video to data centers, that are controlled by a strategic adversary of the United States. This is, to p…

Or it will be the 15% that takes those positions while the 85% stay glued to TikTok…

Because presidents, congresspeople, and justices are not known for wild behavior at all.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#395

Post by zone411 » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:44 AM UTC

lmm wrote: post #252

im3w1l wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never got the feeling that US distrusted EU software.

They definitely ignore and dismiss anything made in the EU. I don't think there's been an overwhelmingly popular app that's forced them to confront the idea of most US citizens using EU software yet.

Spotify.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#396

Post by dburflzz » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:50 AM UTC

joeman1000 wrote: post #189

It’s a subversive platform. It quickly profiles someone and begins serving them mind-altering content. Content which will change someone’s perception, behaviour and world-view. Part of its power is our new belief in the transcendental nature of ‘the algorithm’. People believe they ‘should’ be viewing the content that TikTok serves to them, so the messages in the content are more potent. When you put this limbic weapo…

One would think the app would be banned at the first attempt.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#397

Post by thisisnotclear » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:56 AM UTC

lmm wrote: post #251

wyre wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Social media addiction is a very real thing and tiktok does it better than any of its competitors.

I've heard this but it doesn't match my experience at all. I see far more addictive behaviour on facebook or twitter (or, hell, HN).

Twitter doom scrolling is real.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#398

Post by notyourwork » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 1:59 AM UTC

Calvin02 wrote: post #223

madeofpalk wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a non-US, non-Chinese citizen, is there something that makes TikTok espionage and Facebook not? Or is it just "china scary"?

Yes. China and Russia are the biggest geopolitical threats to the world. It is surprisingly that simple. While the US and the western governments have their issues, they are still largely law abiding. China, however, is not. Additionally, under Xi, it has become more authoritarian and more willing to undo the rules based order that has someone kept the world somewhat sane since WWII. I don’t know why anyone would be…

Why is it surprisingly that simple? You lost me with that claim and I’m a suspicious US citizen.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#399

Post by sumnole » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 2:00 AM UTC

vinyl7 wrote: post #270

phyrex wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How are they “The Enemy”? Are they coming and killing Americans or is it just generic xenophobia?

Economic enemy

This just isn't true for anyone but die hard nationalists. The average citizen has no reason to care what country their products and services are coming from. It's better that the world trade and communicate beyond borders. Calls for banning Tik Tok are coming from people afraid of fair international competition.

Re: As TikTok grows, so does suspicion

#400

Post by L0stRegulator » Mon, Jul 11, 2022, 2:01 AM UTC

throwaway4good wrote: post #161

Quillbert182 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn’t mean China can’t access the data, and we have no guarantees that there aren’t copies of all that data in China.

Yes. What would be a good way to regulate this; still allowing open and fair competition while protecting the privacy of the broad population? So if the EU forces Facebook to store EU's citizens data in the EU. What would prevent Facebook copying that data to the US? Or have some American (potentially working for the NSA) remotely accessing EU data?

Under the US CLOUD Act, three letter agencies can compel Facebook to produce user data wherever in the world it is.

When any other country has a law like that, they are obviously the bad guys.