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Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

blogs.microsoft.com

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Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#21

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

techntoke wrote: post #6
partiallypro wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other companies are also in talks, but Microsoft is the furthest along/having the best chance.

Almost every kid at my daughter's elementary school has TikTok installed and they are all under 13. If you have an Android phone, they do basically no verification to register and then if you go to your Google Account you can see that they share your email and personal data with TikTok. This is a major COPPA violation. Does this mean Microsoft may soon be the biggest violator of COPPA in the US?

The FTC's guidance specifically allows services to rely on a user's self-reported age. See https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/com..., under the heading "Will the COPPA Rule prevent children from lying about their age to register for general audience sites or online services whose terms of service prohibit their participation?"

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#22

Post by 0xy »

techntoke wrote: post #6
partiallypro wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other companies are also in talks, but Microsoft is the furthest along/having the best chance.

Almost every kid at my daughter's elementary school has TikTok installed and they are all under 13. If you have an Android phone, they do basically no verification to register and then if you go to your Google Account you can see that they share your email and personal data with TikTok. This is a major COPPA violation. Does this mean Microsoft may soon be the biggest violator of COPPA in the US?

Every company does this. Discord, Twitter, Instagram all have scores of children under 13 on their platforms.

As long as they did reasonable CYA then they cannot really be held accountable.

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#23

Post by 8organicbits »

techntoke wrote: post #6
partiallypro wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other companies are also in talks, but Microsoft is the furthest along/having the best chance.

Almost every kid at my daughter's elementary school has TikTok installed and they are all under 13. If you have an Android phone, they do basically no verification to register and then if you go to your Google Account you can see that they share your email and personal data with TikTok. This is a major COPPA violation. Does this mean Microsoft may soon be the biggest violator of COPPA in the US?

In practice, can't that easily be resolved by prompting each user to verify they are at least 13 years old, enter their age, or enter their birthday?

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#24

Post by nl »

techntoke wrote: post #6
partiallypro wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other companies are also in talks, but Microsoft is the furthest along/having the best chance.

Almost every kid at my daughter's elementary school has TikTok installed and they are all under 13. If you have an Android phone, they do basically no verification to register and then if you go to your Google Account you can see that they share your email and personal data with TikTok. This is a major COPPA violation. Does this mean Microsoft may soon be the biggest violator of COPPA in the US?

> basically no verification

That's what the law is. See item 12 here: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/com...

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#25

Post by [deleted] »

8organicbits wrote: post #23
techntoke wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Almost every kid at my daughter's elementary school has TikTok installed and they are all under 13. If you have an Android phone, they do basically no verification to register and then if you go to your Google Account you can see that they share your email and personal data with TikTok. This is a major COPPA violation. Does this mean Microsoft may soon be the biggest violator of COPPA in the US?

In practice, can't that easily be resolved by prompting each user to verify they are at least 13 years old, enter their age, or enter their birthday?

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#26

Post by exanimo_sai »

The takeaways from this potential acquisition for me: - The splinternet is real - as a foreign business with US interests be aware which side of the splinternet you are positioned. (Stratechery wrote a good piece of the four way split of the internet between US, China, India and EU https://stratechery.com/2020/india-jio-and-the-four-internet...) - While this may appear as a weird adjacency for Microsoft to go into they have successfully run Xbox a consumer business for many years - The consumption ecosystem from user data and behaviour from TikTok acquisition can only bolster Microsoft - Social capital is a lucrative currency for any tech company especially one such as MS who has a lot of catching up to do to other Big Tech -

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#27

Post by pm90 »

qppo wrote: post #17

On the one hand, this is probably a good move made for the wrong reasons. On the other, I feel like if we're going to force a divestment in the name of national security for a social media app, maybe we should have all our social media apps operating domestically abide by strong privacy protections and data isolation policies.

You may want to read up a bit on how lobbying works.

US based companies enjoy 2 benefits when it comes to regulation: 1) “Domestic” factor which makes them immediately above suspicion of wrongdoing by the National Security apparatus and 2) Access to the legal lobbying infrastructure which they use to protect their interests.

The interests of both Domestic firms (who want to neutralize a fast growing threat) and the National Security apparatus align in this case, which is why the parent company seems to have accepted the fact that it would need to sell off its interests in TikTok. Their interests do not align so much when it comes to protecting user data (arguably for certain 3 letter agencies, they align in favor of fewer user privacy measures).

For those that wonder why big technology firms all seem to be based in the US, there isn’t something magical about the US. It is mostly the State assisting domestic firms in neutralizing international competitors.

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#28

Post by qppo »

pm90 wrote: post #27
qppo wrote: post #17

On the one hand, this is probably a good move made for the wrong reasons. On the other, I feel like if we're going to force a divestment in the name of national security for a social media app, maybe we should have all our social media apps operating domestically abide by strong privacy protections and data isolation policies.

You may want to read up a bit on how lobbying works. US based companies enjoy 2 benefits when it comes to regulation: 1) “Domestic” factor which makes them immediately above suspicion of wrongdoing by the National Security apparatus and 2) Access to the legal lobbying infrastructure which they use to protect their interests. The interests of both Domestic firms (who want to neutralize a fast growing threat) and the N…

Not really sure why you need to be condescending, because what you're talking about isn't how lobbying "works" nor is it how business works in the United States.

>“Domestic” factor which makes them immediately above suspicion of wrongdoing by the National Security apparatus

This for example, is not true.

Re: Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the US

#30

Post by alicemaz »

techntoke wrote: post #6
partiallypro wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other companies are also in talks, but Microsoft is the furthest along/having the best chance.

Almost every kid at my daughter's elementary school has TikTok installed and they are all under 13. If you have an Android phone, they do basically no verification to register and then if you go to your Google Account you can see that they share your email and personal data with TikTok. This is a major COPPA violation. Does this mean Microsoft may soon be the biggest violator of COPPA in the US?

didn't you use the internet way before you were 13? it boggles my mind why people care about this
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