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U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

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Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#581

Post by zoom6628 »

tsimionescu wrote: post #569
gexla wrote: post #552

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out though. People follow the money. Investors wouldn't be interested if they didn't see the value. If the new app can snag the network effects, then it will win. What is TikTok worth without the US audience?

> People follow the money. Investors wouldn't be interested if they didn't see the value. The value may well be in currying favor with the Trump regime, not in the actual deal for itself. If you can lose a few billion on becoming best friends with an increasingly authoritarian leadership, you may well get much more power and future opportunities from that.

This. Ellison is a Trump+power fanboi. Through a few billion at a project to get multiples in return in other projects.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#582

Post by js8 »

0xDEAFBEAD wrote: post #529
yibg wrote: post #526

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't speak for others. My "anti-American" comment is due to the difference between what's preached and what's practiced. "Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc. I also wouldn't characterize my comment as anti-American so much as disappointed in America. There is of course more freedom in the US than in say China. But I'm also not holding up China as a beacon of freedom. The US on the other hand,…

>"Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc. I don't see Americans referring to their country that way anymore. I think you're arguing with an interlocutor who peaked in the Reagan era and has been on a downtrend ever since. Personally speaking, as an American, I don't want to lead the free world anymore. I don't want to be the "greatest country in the world" either. I'd rather the US just stick to s…

Why are so worried, then, whether the world is anti-american or not? Why use that term, if you personally don't want see the world through nationalist optics?

I saw a commenter the other day here claiming that in EU, there are lot of "anti-american" far left sentiments. They weren't able to elaborate, who exactly that is; as someone on the left, I don't see it.

For example, I live in EU, I support DiEM25, and I am against NATO, as well as stopping other military activities. I also agree with Chomsky. Is any of this anti-american? How is then yibg's comment anti-american?

I guess you can't have it both ways - the american soft power (you seem to miss) came with exceptionalism. I agree that Switzerland is nice, but they simply don't have that soft power.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#583

Post by slg »

Pxtl wrote: post #566
slg wrote: post #520

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right, it seems obvious. Considering the number of self-professed "free speech absolutists" I have encountered on this site over the years, I'm surprised at how much benefit of the doubt others are giving this.

I'm not. The last few years have made it very clear what the actual political goals of the VC-tech world are. I was as disappointed as anybody, but I'm not surprised anymore.

I was trying to be more neutral, but after some thought, this isn't the time for that. My "surprise" was more than a bit sarcastic. Between this and the FCC going after Kimmel, now is the last chance I will give for anyone claiming to care about free speech to prove they weren't lying. There's no plausible deniability anymore, free speech is unambiguously under attack.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#584

Post by 0xDEAFBEAD »

js8 wrote: post #582
0xDEAFBEAD wrote: post #529

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>"Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc. I don't see Americans referring to their country that way anymore. I think you're arguing with an interlocutor who peaked in the Reagan era and has been on a downtrend ever since. Personally speaking, as an American, I don't want to lead the free world anymore. I don't want to be the "greatest country in the world" either. I'd rather the US just stick to s…

Why are so worried, then, whether the world is anti-american or not? Why use that term, if you personally don't want see the world through nationalist optics? I saw a commenter the other day here claiming that in EU, there are lot of "anti-american" far left sentiments. They weren't able to elaborate, who exactly that is; as someone on the left, I don't see it. For example, I live in EU, I support DiEM25, and I am ag…

If people outside the US complain about what the US does, we should stop doing it. The fact that everyone complains about US foreign policy means we need to course-correct. No one complains about Swiss foreign policy.

I think we agree, since we're both against NATO. Not sure why you're trying to argue with me.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#585

Post by OhioMan2943 »

amatecha wrote: post #558
OhioMan2943 wrote: post #510

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Protocols are good- but respectfully at this point fediverse is basically a transgender support group.

What are you saying? Fediverse is bad because scary transgenders?

I'm saying it's unlikely to take off because it's pretty taken over by a group fringe enough to push away the average person. I'm not being entirely fair honestly. It's the internet we're in though- the "middle ground" of yesterday that helped sites take off in the past is getting harder to find.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#586

Post by amatecha »

OhioMan2943 wrote: post #585
amatecha wrote: post #558

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you saying? Fediverse is bad because scary transgenders?

I'm saying it's unlikely to take off because it's pretty taken over by a group fringe enough to push away the average person. I'm not being entirely fair honestly. It's the internet we're in though- the "middle ground" of yesterday that helped sites take off in the past is getting harder to find.

Oh, it already has taken off sufficiently. There are some 10-20 million users[0]. Like I just said in an adjacent comment I've been using it nearly-exclusively for almost 10 years now, myself. It's not built for "growth" or to "compete" with big corporate social media so it's all good. Whoever is interested can try it out for themselves. BTW I've been on the net since 1992 and can say with certainty, every new social technology is dominated by the fringes of culture at first because we're the ones who want to make our own place that isn't full of jerks. Like, fediverse wasn't taken over by any fringe group, it started on the fringes. We're happy to have anyone who isn't a jerk though, it's generally that simple.

[0] https://federated.works/page/collaboration/statistics

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#587

Post by pstuart »

klipt wrote: post #559
dghlsakjg wrote: post #414

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So incompetent that they control all three branches of the most powerful government on earth. Much of that can be credited to their media ownership strategies. Underestimate them at your own peril...

The unfortunate thing about democracy is that competency at getting elected doesn't always translate to competency at governing.

They are stupid, but also ruthless and willing to ignore the laws they don't like.

They are also surrounded by billionaires that want them to keep it going. Look at how Larry Ellison is buying up Paramount/CBS and soon, Tiktok. They just took Kimmel off the air.

Again, I know this sounds like histrionics on my part but what is happening now is not normal -- the fact that all "old school" republicans have left the GOP and it is now literally the Party of Trump. And they have millions of cult members who are itching to use their second amendment rights against "non-Americans".

I desperately want to be wrong, and would love credible evidence that could demonstrate this.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#588

Post by slg »

asdff wrote: post #567
slg wrote: post #512

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can you possibly feel comfortable ascribing a motive to over a hundred million people? You didn't answer the question on why this interpretation is more valid than mine.

I'm not ascribing a motive. They might believe whatever to justify their inaction. I'm just outlining the actual effect of their choice, which is quite literally to allow for others to choose.

This is a subtle moving of the goalposts. The original point from misnome was that people who didn't vote "voted for whoever won". Your last point was that non-voters inherently "stand by their choice". Neither of those is "the actual effect of their choice". They’re attempts to interpret the intention of non-voters.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#589

Post by BatteryMountain »

gpt5 wrote: post #205

Key details: 1. New, US-specific TikTok App, separate from the main TikTok app in content and users. 2. 80% owned by a U.S. investor consortium led by Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, 20% by Bytedance. 3. Board will include one U.S. government–appointed director. 4. All U.S. user data would sit on Oracle infrastructure in the US. 5. Algorithm will be initially licensed, but has to be reengineered to comp…

All this to "protect the children"... why are US politicians so interested in kids? Politicians being involved in a kids app? Why? Could it be to curate some naughty list for future exploitation (blackmails anyone?) or to get location data about the kids? Mmm wonder when masked """"law enforcement"""" will disappear the parents and traffic the kids somewhere?

Just ban children from the internet, make it the responsibility of the parents. Its that simple. Make it illegal for kids to have access, especially to user generated content (incl chat), same level as firearms, pharma drugs, voting, entering into contracts etc. Internet is and was never a place for children to begin with.

Re: U.S. investors, Trump close in on TikTok deal with China

#590

Post by BatteryMountain »

barbazoo wrote: post #117

I'm not an expert but this makes me think that it might time to turn off the screens and stop letting half-trillionaires decide what we look at.

If you have kids, get them off the internet asap. No access. These people thrive because they have illegal contracts with kids. They control the hearts & minds of so many households. Reject the whole system. Cut the cord from all bots, propaganda farms, intelligence agencies that runs a direct line into your child's mind. They are teaching your children to think a specific way. Its gross.
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