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My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

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Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#11

Post by zer00eyz »

pcarolan wrote: post #8
zer00eyz wrote: post #6

As an American, this bill must die. If we want to compete, then we need to do that. Investment not protection is the path forward. Protectionist ideas dont save any one, they just let shitty or inferior products flourish.

How does this theory hold up when your trade partner doesn’t give you equal access to their markets and has the potential to use this media platform to spread disinformation? I don’t think this is an innovation issue as much as a political one.

No equal access, but Tesla, and apple remain popular in china (for those with the money to buy them) in spite of the propaganda.

Our own social media platforms have been doing a perfectly good job of spreading disinformation. And now were building ML systems to accelerate someone's agenda.

You beat tiktok by building what's next and watching it fade like every other platform before it.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#12

Post by stonogo »

favourable wrote: post #4

> First, this bill isn’t actually aiming to ban TikTok. It really wants to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to someone else who is not controlled by China Is the US chinaphobic or something? Because they have a good relationship in terms of trade. I'm always reminded of the irony of 'Boycott China' T-Shirts being manufactured in China. As long as the US is the buyer, there's no beef.

It is easier to demonize others than pass privacy laws and data protections, because the latter would also destroy the Silicon Valley behemoths who pay a lot of money to ensure it won't happen.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#15

Post by aaron695 »

The loss of data from TikTok would be chilling. It's pushing the world forward at the fastest pace in tech and education, also politics and everything else hence the bill.

But the next app covered by the bill that would come to mind as the article mentions is Telegram.

Here it's not changing US politics but allows us to watch others politics. We are weakening our power by weakening our citizens.

Like restricting 5G we are at war with ourselves doing Chinas work for them.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#16

Post by stale2002 »

favourable wrote: post #4

> First, this bill isn’t actually aiming to ban TikTok. It really wants to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to someone else who is not controlled by China Is the US chinaphobic or something? Because they have a good relationship in terms of trade. I'm always reminded of the irony of 'Boycott China' T-Shirts being manufactured in China. As long as the US is the buyer, there's no beef.

> Is the US chinaphobic or something?

Well, china makes many threats to invade our allies, like Taiwan. (Officially declared or not. We give them weapons)

China is quite literally on a list of military enemies.

Yes, it is reasonably to be fearful of countries that are likely going to go to war with your allies. Just like it is reasonable for the government of ukraine to be afraid of the invading russian army.

Our cold war relationship with china could change in the future. They are going to have to make a lot of changes first, such as swearing off invading our allied country taiwan.

But, until that happens, china is right now on the path to actual war with the US in around 5 years.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#17

Post by rrsmtz »

stonogo wrote: post #12
favourable wrote: post #4

> First, this bill isn’t actually aiming to ban TikTok. It really wants to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to someone else who is not controlled by China Is the US chinaphobic or something? Because they have a good relationship in terms of trade. I'm always reminded of the irony of 'Boycott China' T-Shirts being manufactured in China. As long as the US is the buyer, there's no beef.

It is easier to demonize others than pass privacy laws and data protections, because the latter would also destroy the Silicon Valley behemoths who pay a lot of money to ensure it won't happen.

It’s not about demonizing, it’s about bringing it under control. Silicon Valley behemoths cooperate with the US government in a way that TikTok does not.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#18

Post by zenapollo »

favourable wrote: post #4

> First, this bill isn’t actually aiming to ban TikTok. It really wants to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to someone else who is not controlled by China Is the US chinaphobic or something? Because they have a good relationship in terms of trade. I'm always reminded of the irony of 'Boycott China' T-Shirts being manufactured in China. As long as the US is the buyer, there's no beef.

I don’t understand the confusion. The CCP and its state-backed entities have been hammering the US with cyber attacks (on DoD targets), corporate and academic spying, and disinformation campaigns. Despite a relatively friendly commercial environment (friendly as long as China gets everything it wants), China’s intelligence apparatus proposes a clear and obvious threat to national security.

I don’t understand all the constitutional hurdles. However, we know that Russia has heavily invested in disinformation and destabilization for decades. We can and should expect the same from China.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#19

Post by madrox »

The author raises some good points that, I think, are ultimately moot. Most concerns hinge on either the president using this power maliciously or Bytedance not selling Tiktok. The president already has a lot of scary power to wield if they use it maliciously, and our institutions tend to do a good job keeping this in check. What happens if Bytedance chooses not to sell? That will be an interesting world, but not one I'm sure needs to be prepared for.

Re: My Concerns about the TikTok Divestiture Bill as a Software Developer

#20

Post by woooooo »

stale2002 wrote: post #16
favourable wrote: post #4

> First, this bill isn’t actually aiming to ban TikTok. It really wants to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to someone else who is not controlled by China Is the US chinaphobic or something? Because they have a good relationship in terms of trade. I'm always reminded of the irony of 'Boycott China' T-Shirts being manufactured in China. As long as the US is the buyer, there's no beef.

> Is the US chinaphobic or something? Well, china makes many threats to invade our allies, like Taiwan. (Officially declared or not. We give them weapons) China is quite literally on a list of military enemies. Yes, it is reasonably to be fearful of countries that are likely going to go to war with your allies. Just like it is reasonable for the government of ukraine to be afraid of the invading russian army. Our col…

Technically, the US official position on Taiwan is that they are not even independent, let alone an ally.

Of course it would be silly to sell them Aegis missile systems if we really believed that. But that's our official position.

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