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What if no one misses TikTok?

nytimes.com

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Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#71

Post by UtopiaPunk »

I think TikTok is a negative influence on society, but not for any reasons that have to do with China really. I'd be much happier if the gov took strict actions on social media generally.

It doesn't really make much "sense," of course. I'm just day dreaming. I find the USA gov and the Chinese gov to both be pretty evil. The other social media gets to stay, though, because they are all in the USA.

Obviously banning TikTok or other social media gets into free speech violation territory. But if I could just wave my magic wand and make things that I think are bad go away, I'd ban the whole lot

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#72

Post by UtopiaPunk »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #30
ericlamb89 wrote: post #17

I'm not sure it's the right thing to ban TikTok, but I'm not surprised people aren't protesting in the streets. My feeling is that most people are addicted to these apps, not using them for the utility or pleasure they bring. These users have a deep down sense that they'd be better off without these apps. Instagram won't be banned, but if it were I think there might be a similar non-reaction.

> My feeling is that most people are addicted to these apps, not using them for the utility or pleasure they bring. ...I find it interesting to think about whether using something due to addiction means you wouldn't protest if it's forcibly taken away. In other words, I wonder if people would protest if cigarettes were banned.

Well, the USA did ban alcohol for a few years, and that was a rowdy time.

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#73

Post by surfpel »

nozzlegear wrote: post #68
seo-speedwagon wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people I’ve seen are going on about either 1) the novelty of talking to entirely new people, which is a relative rarity since the early, heady days of MySpace when social media was new and gardens felt much less walled. For Gen Z, it might actually be a first given their average age; or 2) how the lives of average people compare to theirs and compare to their prior notions of what they thought life was like Thes…

> These seem to go both ways btw, e.g. Chinese people being amazed that we really do need to pay for ambulance rides and that it’s not just govt propaganda. People are going where interesting things are happening, it’s plain and simple. Sadly, since Rednote is monitored and censored by the CCP, the novelty and depth of those 'wow, your country is really like that?' conversations is rather one-sided. You can bet if th…

Great point! I hope all those Americans who can't afford basic necessities in this so-called 'developed country' can take solace in the existence of Chinese censorship. Now they can even take solace in the expansion of American censorship!

In the end, what was the real revolutionary propaganda that the American establishment is afraid of? True cost of living statistics.

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#74

Post by wumeow »

spencerflem wrote: post #23
wumeow wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn’t exaggeration btw. Gen Z is basically a cooked generation at this point.

Because we don't like what the US government and their corporate overlords are doing?

Because that’s all you know! You are so myopically focused on every shitty thing that the US has ever done that you’ll believe anything that disparages the US, even when it comes from a foreign power trying to undermine you. For instance:

https://x.com/OrganizerMemes/status/1879723864936370347#m Guess what! You also have to pay for an ambulance in China!

https://x.com/Jingjing_Li/status/1880176802993434698#m Wrong. Americans spend about 12% of their income on groceries and work less than the Chinese on average.

You are not immune to propaganda.

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#75

Post by ericmay »

ch4s3 wrote: post #59
ericmay wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but what would that have to do with this action here? TikTok isn’t being banned because of free speech or not but because the usage of their algorithms allows the app to influence how Americans think about different issues. China has recognized this as a threat and as such has banned foreign adversary social media companies from operating within its borders. Likewise the United States has recognized that this is…

The US also has an enshrined freedom of association, and I personally believe the association rights of those users is being violated. Moreover it seems like security theater.

No we don't - and we stop free associations all the time. I can't call up my non-existent buddies in Russia and say hey you guys need weapons? Well I'll sell them to you. We ban NVIDIA from selling advanced chips to China or North Korea. We prohibit US citizens from bribing officials in countries like Mexico for permits.

> Moreover it seems like security theater.

Meh. At a minimum it's just an economic reciprocation. If China doesn't allow our wildly successful social media companies to operate in China, we can as a matter of trade decide to stop their wildly successful social media company from operating in our country.

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#76

Post by wumeow »

seo-speedwagon wrote: post #56
addicted wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine thinking the U.S. govt and corporate overlords are terrible because they’re banning TikTok and getting back at them by going to a Chinese app. China, the country which has a literal firewall preventing their people from getting information that isn’t vetted, bans nearly every external app because they don’t have control over it, and most ironically, never allowed TikTok, whose banning you think makes the U.S.…

Most people I’ve seen are going on about either 1) the novelty of talking to entirely new people, which is a relative rarity since the early, heady days of MySpace when social media was new and gardens felt much less walled. For Gen Z, it might actually be a first given their average age; or 2) how the lives of average people compare to theirs and compare to their prior notions of what they thought life was like Thes…

> Chinese people being amazed that we really do need to pay for ambulance rides and that it’s not just govt propaganda.

That viral post is incorrect! Ambulance rides cost money in China! You are not immune to propaganda!

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#77

Post by bdangubic »

nozzlegear wrote: post #57
addicted wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine thinking the U.S. govt and corporate overlords are terrible because they’re banning TikTok and getting back at them by going to a Chinese app. China, the country which has a literal firewall preventing their people from getting information that isn’t vetted, bans nearly every external app because they don’t have control over it, and most ironically, never allowed TikTok, whose banning you think makes the U.S.…

An American and a Chinese citizen are having a discussion on Rednote about freedom in their respective countries. The American proudly says: "In America, we have true freedom! I can stand in front of the White House and shout, 'I don’t like the President!' and nothing will happen to me." The Chinese citizen thoughtfully replies: "We have the same freedom in China. I can stand in front of Tiananmen Square and shout, '…

if you think you have “freedom” as an American citizen I have some Enron stock to sell to you … sooooo funny, geeeez

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#78

Post by ok123456 »

ThrowawayR2 wrote: post #67
ok123456 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that insane? We should lead by example if we value free speech.

Arguing for individual humans to have freedom of speech to express their views is one thing, arguing for mega-corporations (look at the valuation estimates for Tiktok) to have freedom of speech for profit is quite another.

They do have freedom of speech—Citizen's United.

The more significant issue is that this is a bill of attainder. The fact that this was prima facia rejected by the courts is an indication that the NatSec state has corroded every branch of government, and we have a zombie government.

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#79

Post by seo-speedwagon »

wumeow wrote: post #76
seo-speedwagon wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people I’ve seen are going on about either 1) the novelty of talking to entirely new people, which is a relative rarity since the early, heady days of MySpace when social media was new and gardens felt much less walled. For Gen Z, it might actually be a first given their average age; or 2) how the lives of average people compare to theirs and compare to their prior notions of what they thought life was like Thes…

> Chinese people being amazed that we really do need to pay for ambulance rides and that it’s not just govt propaganda. That viral post is incorrect! Ambulance rides cost money in China! You are not immune to propaganda!

How much?

Re: What if no one misses TikTok?

#80

Post by Muromec »

mupuff1234 wrote: post #28
ok123456 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that insane? We should lead by example if we value free speech.

So if China would pay $100 a month to every teacher in the US to teach some subversive topic, would that also be ok? The issue here isn't free speech, but control over what content is promoted, unless you think the CCP has the right to free speech in the US.

The moment EU will ban x/itter for the exact same reason it will be all about free speech again.
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