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UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

texastribune.org

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Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#161

Post by personjerry »

guessbest wrote: post #15

> In a statement, a representative from TikTok said they are disappointed by the news. > "We're disappointed that so many states are jumping on the political bandwagon to enact policies that will do nothing to advance cybersecurity in their states and are based on unfounded falsehoods about TikTok," spokesperson Jamal Brown wrote. Regardless of you stance on Texas and Texans and politics, the above is a pretty funny…

> We have to protect the integrity of short video apps that are built for advertisers to push products and services through ads and influencers.

That's a strawman argument, they didn't say any of that

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#162

Post by flappyeagle »

filoleg wrote: post #156
flappyeagle wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be more sympathetic to this line of argument if the CCP weren't currently banning every single US-based social network. Reciprocation is the only sensible response. This shouldn't be about race, or even data. It should be about trade policy.

Well, CCP is an extremely authoritarian state, and plenty of their constituents would love to be able to access western apps/services. The cool thing is that US, for all its faults, is not like that, and shouldn't aspire to be like that. If the US constituents want to access TikTok, they should be able to, unless it poses some actual danger. An example of such danger would be what led to the recent ban on Huawei equi…

Access to foreign goods and services is mediated by US foreign policy and trade policy. These are tools to be used to advantage our home country in the context of global competition.

Aspiration needs to be balanced against the realities of dealing with a powerful adversary.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#163

Post by flappyeagle »

vkou wrote: post #160
flappyeagle wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Economic sanctions is an external action. Tariffs are a thing that exist. It's not by any means "repression", so please don't make the argument lame by taking it there.

I'm pretty sure you were the one who took the argument into this direction, by equating banning a chat app to launching missiles - waging war. I'm not asking us to hold ourselves to China's standards - that's the lowest bar in the universe. I'm asking us to hold ourselves to our own standards.

War is not repression. It is unfortunate but often the only sensible approach when the other party is aggressor. It’s not oppression to respond in kind. It is common sense.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#164

Post by UncleMeat »

rcme wrote: post #157
UncleMeat wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously that isn't the main issue here, since disabling TikTok on UT wifi does very little to stop people from actually using it.

So then what does disabling it accomplish?

Practically, nothing. It achieves geopolitical dick wagging, I guess. TikTok isn't a threat to networks. If it is any threat, it is a threat to users (and to a much lesser extent, to device managers). Disabling it on various networks is meaningless.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#165

Post by switchbak »

UncleMeat wrote: post #158
switchbak wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm no security professional, but I am familiar with the ultra crap security standards of many institutions. It's really just removing a drop from the ocean of potential risks, but doesn't seem that outlandish given the nature of TikTok and where it comes from.

But like, what risk ? I'm serious. TikTok poses no risk to UT's networks.

Well, sure, I think you're right: if the Chinese state wants access to UT-Austin's networks, they definitely have that already, and cutting this out doesn't help anything.

I suppose they're just going along with their new law in a way that buys some political points.

Personally, I'd love it if we banned the damn thing everywhere, but only because I hate the mindless content :)

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#166

Post by cute_boi »

switchbak wrote: post #141
UncleMeat wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But like... what cybersecurity threat is there to using TikTok while on UT wifi? The concerns with TikTok are always around data collection and propaganda, not it pwning other stuff on the same network with malicious network traffic?

I'm no security professional, but I am familiar with the ultra crap security standards of many institutions. It's really just removing a drop from the ocean of potential risks, but doesn't seem that outlandish given the nature of TikTok and where it comes from.

There is no such potential risks. It is all about politics and propaganda.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#167

Post by kris_wayton »

onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #151
kris_wayton wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Especially given that TikTok will work fine on devices that are connected to the cell network and not wifi. I can't tell what is being protected, exactly.

This is like saying, if students can assault students outside of UT Austin - I don't know why we should ban students assaulting each other inside of UT Austin. If you believe you're doing the right thing in some cases - you don't give up because you can't do the right thing in all cases. UT Austin can be in the wrong. I'm just saying - simply because UT Austin banned TikTok doesn't mean they're doing it for censorshi…

I had assumed they meant the sort of almost public WiFi that any student has access to, which should be cordoned off from anything sensitive.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#168

Post by potatochup »

s0ulphire wrote: post #159
LesZedCB wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and then once you realize how much data it eats, you'll see why they wanted to disable it in the first place

Serious question, does anyone really struggle with staying under their data limit anymore? I pay $28AUD a month and get 85GB, and I use about 20 of that per month?

American plans are generally a lot more expensive. Take a look at ATNT for example.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#169

Post by cute_boi »

tarotuser wrote: post #11
mybhslaptop wrote: post #3

High schoolers are used to having VPNs for school, time for college students to do that too. Especially since on-campus students have to live with managed WiFi in dorms too. It's unfortunate to see this political censorship affect grown adults who can make their own decisions - but just happen to be at a state university.

You can say "Use a VPN"... However on multiple VPN providers, Tiktok blocks those endpoints. Instead of the Tiktok feed, you get a rude 403 error for any page. Tiktok really REALLY wants to know your real IP address. (edit: this comment pertains to the web page through a browser, not the Tiktok app. I did not test the app+vpn.)

Well, Tiktok didn't ban vpn, it was those minority number of people who developed bots to capitalize likes/comments/shares. I think it is same with facebook or other social media.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#170

Post by cute_boi »

s0ulphire wrote: post #159
LesZedCB wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and then once you realize how much data it eats, you'll see why they wanted to disable it in the first place

Serious question, does anyone really struggle with staying under their data limit anymore? I pay $28AUD a month and get 85GB, and I use about 20 of that per month?

In America, for unlimited it costs $80 on Verizon. With 5 lines it decreased to $30.

There are other alternatives like Mint mobile, however they are also expensive. 10 GB costs around $20 monthly excluding taxes.

In short, Mobile data is too expensive in the USA.

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