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U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

reuters.com

11–20 of 91 posts

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#11

I really can’t stand TikTok. It sucks up so much data straight to the Chinese government, I absolutely refuse to use it. But so many good creators are starting to dabble with it, and many of my friends will send me TikTok links that I can’t open.

You know that TikTok is no different to the rest of them. (and does the same behaviours of any other social network collecting your data which I find as a damning violation of our privacy.) How else is that 'recommendation algorithm' supposed to work, then?

Another 'algorithm' that governs and orders what can be seen and unseen for the accounts of hundreds of millions of users again. Just like YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

Once ByteDance changes their algorithm and the users begin to complain about it, then I will point them to this comment and say, I tried to warn them but they decided to 'silence' me instead because I am right.

We'll see soon enough.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#12

I really can’t stand TikTok. It sucks up so much data straight to the Chinese government, I absolutely refuse to use it. But so many good creators are starting to dabble with it, and many of my friends will send me TikTok links that I can’t open.

If possible you could just scrape some of your favorite tik-tokers using something like this. https://github.com/drawrowfly/tiktok-scraper

I have been working on building my own client apps by reverse engineering existing apps' api and by really deciding what apps I really need. For example, I have the app for some convenience stores and I have realized that the only reason I use them is for the barcode that the app loads(turns out they use a library to generate the barcode buts its the same every time because its based on a customer ID).

So why not just print out the barcode onto a dogtag and ditch the app? Im trying to work my way through each app so then my phone has the bare minimum of of third party tracking. Facebook and Instagram are gonna be the real tough cookies but luckily I have reduced my usage significantly.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#13
post #8

> "China has been urging the U.S. side to respect market economy principles and international trade rules, to immediately stop stretching the concept of national security and stop wantonly abusing state power to suppress China's tech companies," spokesman Zhai Lijian said on Tuesday in Beijing. Ironic. I don't suppose they will allow Twitter, Facebook etc in China after this.

there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework. Facebook or Twitter aren't banned because they're American, they're banned because they're not willing to comply with Chinese law at all, which Chinese companies themselves are subject to. Bing operates in China, as do a bunch of other large American tech firms.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#14

I really can’t stand TikTok. It sucks up so much data straight to the Chinese government, I absolutely refuse to use it. But so many good creators are starting to dabble with it, and many of my friends will send me TikTok links that I can’t open.

It's not like you can't find better content off social media.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#15
It was absolutely enraging to see politicians try to ban software. The American competitive advantage is the ability to start a business.

I want the entire world making software for US citizens. I want US developers to compete with the rest of the world.

You know who is going to struggle competing? China and Europe due to difficulty dealing with governments. Sure you get an occasional piece of software from these countries, but there's a reason FAANGM exists.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#16
post #8

> "China has been urging the U.S. side to respect market economy principles and international trade rules, to immediately stop stretching the concept of national security and stop wantonly abusing state power to suppress China's tech companies," spokesman Zhai Lijian said on Tuesday in Beijing. Ironic. I don't suppose they will allow Twitter, Facebook etc in China after this.

there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework. Facebook or Twitter aren't banned because they're American, they're banned because they're not willing to comply with Chinese law at all, which Chinese companies themselves are subject to . Bing operates in China, as do a bunch of other la…

Chinese law is incredibly anticompetitive. These companies are willing to comply with Chinese laws but these laws just screw them so they exit the market, then the Chinese censors block access to their domain names as it is impossible that they are complying on the information side of things.

Separate and nuanced issue, as you pointed out. But not complete.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#17
post #8

> "China has been urging the U.S. side to respect market economy principles and international trade rules, to immediately stop stretching the concept of national security and stop wantonly abusing state power to suppress China's tech companies," spokesman Zhai Lijian said on Tuesday in Beijing. Ironic. I don't suppose they will allow Twitter, Facebook etc in China after this.

there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework. Facebook or Twitter aren't banned because they're American, they're banned because they're not willing to comply with Chinese law at all, which Chinese companies themselves are subject to . Bing operates in China, as do a bunch of other la…

Chinese law is extremely hostile to foreign companies, forcing them to give up their IP and have a large operating presence in China (including a political arm of the CCP within the company). No other country is so hostile to foreigners, and international pressure should be applied to get then to change this behavior. It is antithetical to free trade and free markets.

It is completely understandable that foreign companies are staying out of China, because China effectively bans them from operating unless they are local companies.

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework. Facebook or Twitter aren't banned because they're American, they're banned because they're not willing to comply with Chinese law at all, which Chinese companies themselves are subject to . Bing operates in China, as do a bunch of other la…

Chinese law is incredibly anticompetitive. These companies are willing to comply with Chinese laws but these laws just screw them so they exit the market, then the Chinese censors block access to their domain names as it is impossible that they are complying on the information side of things. Separate and nuanced issue, as you pointed out. But not complete.

I’m absolutely not a fan of China’s behavior here (and in many other areas), but if it’s true that these companies “exit the market,” then getting blocked by the firewall doesn’t mean anything.

What they mean by “exit the market” is to still actually participate in the market but not take on any of its obligations (again, despite my own disagreement with the “obligations”)

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#19
post #8

> "China has been urging the U.S. side to respect market economy principles and international trade rules, to immediately stop stretching the concept of national security and stop wantonly abusing state power to suppress China's tech companies," spokesman Zhai Lijian said on Tuesday in Beijing. Ironic. I don't suppose they will allow Twitter, Facebook etc in China after this.

there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework. Facebook or Twitter aren't banned because they're American, they're banned because they're not willing to comply with Chinese law at all, which Chinese companies themselves are subject to . Bing operates in China, as do a bunch of other la…

> there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework.

This is pure propaganda. There is absolutely no difference. Both steal your data, both will cause you trouble at border control ( see obligation to give your phone for searching at US border some years ago).

Re: U.S. Commerce Department rescinds TikTok, WeChat prohibited transactions list

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there's a difference between the US treating TikTok or WeChat differently even compared to American companies vs the fact that China just has an entirely different legal framework. Facebook or Twitter aren't banned because they're American, they're banned because they're not willing to comply with Chinese law at all, which Chinese companies themselves are subject to . Bing operates in China, as do a bunch of other la…

Chinese law is incredibly anticompetitive. These companies are willing to comply with Chinese laws but these laws just screw them so they exit the market, then the Chinese censors block access to their domain names as it is impossible that they are complying on the information side of things. Separate and nuanced issue, as you pointed out. But not complete.

>These companies are willing to comply with Chinese laws

They're really not. This is why Google exited China. The reason why some American tech firms don't operate in China isn't because they can't handle regulatory compliance (they obviously can given their size and resources), they don't operate in China because complying with Chinese laws would create absolutely bad PR in the United States.

Which means this is not an issue of free-trade but of internal US politics between domestic companies and the public. The United States states isn't treated unfairly, it's just for the first time experiencing what it means to not be able to enforce American standards abroad.

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