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FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

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Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#681

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US government is a foreign government for 96% of the people, not to mention that its own citizens don't control it much.

The USA is a democracy. Arguing otherwise is the pot calling the kettle black.

Arguing otherwise is me not being a functioning democracy?

While I would love to take that on I am genuinely puzzled by what you mean. “No one can question American democracy because they don’t have a better one?” Sorry but if that’s it that’s a dumb take.

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#682
post #378

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world map has been mostly frozen the last few decades precisely because USA is the global hegemon and world police. Regional powers (which is what we would devolve to) are demonstrating exactly what the world would look like without America running the show: conquest and genocide in Ukraine, saber rattling in the south china sea, genocide of the Kurds. We don't have an interest in solving for all the world's ills…

If you think the world is stable as a result of the US, you should think again. It is exactly the contrary. The US itself is involved in wars since basically its foundation. The reason you say this is because you probably live in the US or one of its rich close alies. Everyone else will tell you that life under US hegemony means constant wars, coups, and political instability.

> If you think the world is stable as a result of the US, you should think again.

"Stable" in some kind of Platonic absolute sense, or "more stable that things would have otherwise been"?

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#683

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US government is a foreign government for 96% of the people, not to mention that its own citizens don't control it much.

The USA is a democracy. Arguing otherwise is the pot calling the kettle black.

No post body was provided.

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#684
post #668
post #368

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> this data collection done by a foreign government and exploited for surveillance or espionage is a national security risk. How were Snowden revelations of USG Bigtech relationship materially different from what's happening here? Maybe it was less transparent? Any "woke" person can see the cognitive dissonance here. It's all fine that you use the geopolitical rivalry argument but not if you try to paint one side of…

China is not the US. China's kompromat and industrial espionage policies differ from those of the US. It is off base to compare while ignoring intentions and impact, because they're Very different countries.

No post body was provided.

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#685
post #611

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the world will be more stable when there are few major players around with not a single one having complete control / dominance. This will insure competition and cooperation between our "masters" and will keep them on their toes.

> I think the world will be more stable when there are few major players around with not a single one having complete control / dominance. Until one thinks they can get an edge over another one by jumping them: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_wars * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Military_history_by_c... * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Military_history_by_p...

Major players going to war with each other means mutually assured destruction. I do not think they will.

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#686

This seems an intractable mess. - Our phone hardware and operating systems are intrinsically insecure. - There is no practical/effective data gathering regulation (and I'm not sure it's possible to craft any without destroying innovation) - All social media companies are doing it, leading to jeers of "hypocrisy!" - All governments play the same games, reducing the arguments to "Whose side are you on?" That's effectiv…

Sadly none of this is doable in the current version of capitalism (and in pretty much every country that is drinking from it). Corporation interests, especially those of large corporations, override pretty much everything else.

Except, interestingly, in the bad guy of this story, China, where overcritical capitalists are regularly submitted to the state.

Will be interesting to see which loadout is more functional long term, China’s or the USA’s.

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#687
Are media apps and their data collection policies even under the FCC's purview? This seems like an FTC thing at best.

As far as I can tell, this is just some random commissioner (who also wants to get rid of net neutrality and Section 230) making a political statement, and nothing more. Yes, you should be worried about big companies collecting your data. Yes, you should be worried that the CCP has a direct line to VERY influenceable kids. Both of these are legal; the first amendment guarantees the right to publish propaganda that is potentially bad for national security. If you want to stop propaganda, start investing in education, Congress.

I don't see how TikTok is doing anything out of the ordinary here and why they should be specifically targeted. Everyone is doing the same things they're doing. I get that the US is scared that China is going to replace them as "the superpower". Getting rid of some social media app is not going to change that. We're closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. We lost this battle decades ago, and it's too late to stop it.

I really feel like this is a token stance against China and not a whole lot else. They won't stop buying our soybean exports if we take a hard line against TikTok, whereas they would if we took a hard line stance against stealing American intellectual property or invading Taiwan, which is the problem we're actually worried about. So nothing changes, but when Commissioner Carr runs for some political office (his term is up next year, and I'm guessing Biden isn't going to re-appoint him), he has some token "I did a thing" to point to. (And knowing his political affiliation, "I hurt people that aren't white" is probably a good selling point for his candidacy. Sad that such a thing is true in 2022.)

If someone wants to do something about this, Congress should make some laws. "It's illegal at the federal level to bypass device privacy protections to sell ads." or "It's illegal for a US company to help law enforcement track users." or "We don't import goods from countries that have concentration camps that kill ethnic minorities." This will never happen. Congress loves it when companies bypass device protections to sell ads, and they demand that companies like Apple break the security on their devices to aid law enforcement.

Finally, if the FCC really wanted Apple and Google to delete an app from the app store, I doubt that posting a poorly-researched rant to Twitter would be how they go about doing it. I'd be surprised if Tim and Sundar even read this letter.

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#688
post #611

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the world will be more stable when there are few major players around with not a single one having complete control / dominance. This will insure competition and cooperation between our "masters" and will keep them on their toes.

When there are multiple major players conflicts between them often occur.

I appreciate your desire for the world to be ruled by the US. I do not think the rest of the world will agree. And if you enforce it using military means you are no better then the rest. Are you American by any chance?

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#689

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USA is a democracy. Arguing otherwise is the pot calling the kettle black.

Quoted post unavailable.

It's terrible because the best solution to escape the two-party system, including all the animosity (where it is always strategically disadvantageous to join any other party thanks to the first-past-the-post voting system) is something like IRV (instant-runoff voting).

> At least in China the majority of people actually trust their government.

Sure, as long as you don't say the wrong thing and get "disappeared", and have no one to turn to (since the one-party government also controls the courts and legal system), what's not to trust?? LOL, GTFO of here, you absolute fool

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/19/china-disappea...

Re: FCC: TikTok is unacceptable security risk and should be removed from app stores

#690

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US government is a foreign government for 96% of the people, not to mention that its own citizens don't control it much.

The USA is a democracy. Arguing otherwise is the pot calling the kettle black.

I can't vote in american elections. Being a democracy is no solace to the people for whom the US is a foreign government.
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