Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing • Hacker News Board

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#21

Post by zingplex » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:38 PM UTC

vezycash wrote: post #14

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. Registration not needed - without nagging. First thing Microsoft would have done is to require signup to use. The account-less app alone tracks way more than what microsoft could ever track with all their account systems.

>The account-less app alone tracks way more than what microsoft could ever track with all their account systems. I'm using TikTok lite. TikTok only requested STORAGE permission when I wanted to save a video. That's all. Tubemate - one of those youtube apps requires: Read phone state and location permissions. Won't launch without it.

There are still a ton of things Android apps can use to track you without permission. [1]

[1] https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_events/141...

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#22

Post by g42gregory » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:39 PM UTC

I would like to understand if Oracle gets to see the user data. If yes, that might be a good deal for them because the data, especially at such large scale, is very valuable.

In this case, they would not need TikTok's algorithms, as they can develop/train their own from TikTok's data.

If Oracle can not see the user data, then it's just a glorified hosting deal, as people mentioned.

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#23

Post by mdni007 » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:39 PM UTC

vezycash wrote: post #14

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. Registration not needed - without nagging. First thing Microsoft would have done is to require signup to use. The account-less app alone tracks way more than what microsoft could ever track with all their account systems.

>The account-less app alone tracks way more than what microsoft could ever track with all their account systems. I'm using TikTok lite. TikTok only requested STORAGE permission when I wanted to save a video. That's all. Tubemate - one of those youtube apps requires: Read phone state and location permissions. Won't launch without it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but on Android wouldn't an app have access to all files if storage permission is enabled?

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#24

Post by phnofive » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:39 PM UTC

nikkwong wrote: post #9

vezycash wrote: post #3

Used the app for a few days, and realized that keeping TikTok out of the hands of US tech companies is best for the users. 1. Registration not needed - without nagging. First thing Microsoft would have done is to require signup to use. 2. (Most important) copyright hunters will have a harder time ruining the experience. 3. Includes the ability to DOWNLOAD videos! (this blows my mind. I mean, consider the cat and mous…

Yeah. This kind of interface problem is absolutely mind blowing to me. iOS especially always feels almost dumb enough to be unusable to me in comparison with my computer. For example, the other day I just wanted to download an Mp3 to my phone so I'd be able to play it at night with the cellular network turned off. It ended up taking almost an hour to figure out. Downloading a file to the filesystem is nigh impossible…

This may not be your point, but I want to point out the VLC app on iOS provides a target for saving files, including mp3, for offline playback.

https://ytmp3.cc/ provides a general purpose online youtube to mp3/mp4 conversion service with no fee or registration.

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#25

Post by wombatmobile » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:40 PM UTC

shadowtree wrote: post #12

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. Registration not needed - without nagging. First thing Microsoft would have done is to require signup to use. The account-less app alone tracks way more than what microsoft could ever track with all their account systems.

MS own LinkedIn ... I think you'd be surprised.

TikTok makes people dance and smile.

LinkedIn... uh, LinkedIn...

Yeah, no. Not surprised.

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#26

Post by tschwimmer » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:41 PM UTC

I don't understand why the Verge is framing this as likely to be approved. It seems like the Gov't. told Bytedance to divest from US Operations, Bytedance refused to divest and instead set up this trusted tech partner thing, which means that no IP will be change hands and control will still be maintained.

This deal seems not to meet the requirements set out by the US Gov't. Have the goalposts been moved or will this deal be rejected?

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#27

Post by izacus » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:41 PM UTC

mdni007 wrote: post #23

vezycash wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The account-less app alone tracks way more than what microsoft could ever track with all their account systems. I'm using TikTok lite. TikTok only requested STORAGE permission when I wanted to save a video. That's all. Tubemate - one of those youtube apps requires: Read phone state and location permissions. Won't launch without it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but on Android wouldn't an app have access to all files if storage permission is enabled?

Not anymore.

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#28

Post by arafa » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:42 PM UTC

nikkwong wrote: post #9

vezycash wrote: post #3

Used the app for a few days, and realized that keeping TikTok out of the hands of US tech companies is best for the users. 1. Registration not needed - without nagging. First thing Microsoft would have done is to require signup to use. 2. (Most important) copyright hunters will have a harder time ruining the experience. 3. Includes the ability to DOWNLOAD videos! (this blows my mind. I mean, consider the cat and mous…

Yeah. This kind of interface problem is absolutely mind blowing to me. iOS especially always feels almost dumb enough to be unusable to me in comparison with my computer. For example, the other day I just wanted to download an Mp3 to my phone so I'd be able to play it at night with the cellular network turned off. It ended up taking almost an hour to figure out. Downloading a file to the filesystem is nigh impossible…

If you have Spotify, you can also do this through offline syncing, but it's annoying to figure out. Less dodgy than this solution, though.

https://support.spotify.com/us/article/Listen-to-local-files...

Spotify has pretty low-level access to playing music on iPhones.

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#29

Post by intellirogue » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:44 PM UTC

tschwimmer wrote: post #26

I don't understand why the Verge is framing this as likely to be approved. It seems like the Gov't. told Bytedance to divest from US Operations, Bytedance refused to divest and instead set up this trusted tech partner thing, which means that no IP will be change hands and control will still be maintained. This deal seems not to meet the requirements set out by the US Gov't. Have the goalposts been moved or will this…

Ellison is a large donor to the Trump campaign, so they're probably willing to move the goalposts for him.

Re: Oracle’s TikTok deal accomplishes nothing

#30

Post by evan_ » Mon, Sep 14, 2020, 5:47 PM UTC

tschwimmer wrote: post #26

I don't understand why the Verge is framing this as likely to be approved. It seems like the Gov't. told Bytedance to divest from US Operations, Bytedance refused to divest and instead set up this trusted tech partner thing, which means that no IP will be change hands and control will still be maintained. This deal seems not to meet the requirements set out by the US Gov't. Have the goalposts been moved or will this…

It will be approved, the goal was to put it in a place where the US government (read: trump goons) could control and monitor it, and Oracle is such a place. Larry Ellison is a huge trump donor so there’s zero chance it gets held up.