mintmichDec 20, 2022
Drew Harwell

New: TikTok has spent $1.5 billion on Project Texas, its plan for a major reorganization promising to block Chinese-government interference and open its algorithms to independent review. But the U.S. government, which needs to approve it, hasn't responded since August, and with every week new state bans are multiplying

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/20/tiktok-ban-spending-bill-china/

Sweeping spending bill would ban TikTok on government devices

The prohibition is the latest step by governments, mostly at the state level, to try to curb TikTok’s reach.

The Washington Post
Dec 20, 2022 at 9:32pmWeb
Show threadDrew HarwellDec 20, 2022

TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has put forward a sweeping plan that would subject it to a more aggressive kind of oversight than is faced by any U.S. tech giant. But it may not be enough, given that top politicians, mostly Republicans, in the U.S. continue to label it a Chinese spy and propagandist without clear evidence.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/20/tiktok-ban-spending-bill-china/

Sweeping spending bill would ban TikTok on government devices

The prohibition is the latest step by governments, mostly at the state level, to try to curb TikTok’s reach.

The Washington Post
Show threadDrew HarwellDec 20, 2022

We wrote a big story in October about how TikTok's Chinese connections (and Republicans' eagerness to look tough on tech) made it into a political football: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2022/bytedance-tiktok-privacy-china/

In March, @taylorlorenz and I scooped that the company formerly known as Facebook was funding a Republican lobbying firm's mud-slinging campaign calling TikTok a grave societal threat: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/30/facebook-tiktok-targeted-victory/

Lack of TikTok regulation stirs angst in Washington over privacy risks

TikTok’s link to China has sparked fears over propaganda and privacy. It’s also exposed America’s failure to safeguard the web.

The Washington Post
Show threadKurtJan 8, 2023
@drewharwell @taylorlorenz TikTok should be given the same freedom to serve in the US that Facebook&Twitter&TheNewYorkTimes&TheNewYorker are given to serve in China. That is next to none.
Show thread⚡️ axeshun ⚡️  Dec 20, 2022
@drewharwell sort of ironic, being that 80% of the maga "food for thought" disinformation pieces I see on fb & ig, are tik-tok vids.
Show threadMatthew RodierDec 20, 2022
@drewharwell I don't think it matters as much whether Tik Tok is currently spying on its users as that there is no legal mechanism for it to resist inquiries by the Chinese government. We can argue whether the legal protections American social media companies have are effective but at least they exist in theory.
Show threadnotthatkarenDec 20, 2022
@drewharwell Our very own US based data hoovering apps selling our data, poor data security, dodgy data brokers, and lack of data privacy laws that aren’t simply performative-are far more a risk to the average US citizen than Tik Tok is.
Show threadKarin Nelson Dec 20, 2022
@drewharwell I'm well aware that it COULD be transmitting stuff about me and my likes etc. to the Chinese government but that app is like crack and I can't stop watching Tiktoks because, frankly, in these dire times, my mood needs all the help it can get.
Show threadMobilityMikeDec 21, 2022
@karinnelson so true. I tried it out early in the pandemic but it was too addictive. Had to delete that
Show thread(((Jann Gobble)))🏳️‍🌈Dec 20, 2022

@drewharwell "without clear evidence"... bullshit!

The algorithm is horrific on TikTok!!

Show threadMax Riethmuller (TechLife)Dec 20, 2022
@drewharwell this is good reading, thanks. I have been a bit suspicious of the anti tiktok theme even amongst liberals (I consider myself liberal, tbc). It seemed a bit racist tbh. Or maybe prejudiced is a better word. Not about Chinese people per se but just tarring all Chinese businesses with the same sino-distrust brush. Seen a lot of examples of liberals refusing to click links to tiktok. I think I trust Twitter less with my personal info than tiktok at this stage tbh
Show threadJetStreamDec 20, 2022
@drewharwell I don’t see a problem for the government to ban any apps, including TikTok, on any government issued or managed devices for security or policy reason. This is how private enterprises are doing today. My problem is that we want to ban it outright for anyone. That is against our fundamental belief that we are a capitalism and market driven system. GOP always claim they’re the champions of capitalism. I am sure they’ll agree with me if they’re not a party of hypocrisy.
Show thread23CobwebsDec 21, 2022
@drewharwell
Everything that has to do with TikTok, in the US, runs through Oracle. That was set up by the Trump Administration! The narrative needs to be changed.
Show threadAJDec 20, 2022
@drewharwell not surprising because its never been a security concern or concern about the algorithm, its about protecting American businesses from overseas competition.
Show threadニルス・スキニールDec 20, 2022
@drewharwell
The Tik Tok hatred by US govt is s short-sighted and counterproductive.
The real reason for it is that US tech industry had it's feefees hurt because China caught up.
Show threadGen X-WingDec 20, 2022
@drewharwell Fediverse tiktok “competitor” when? :)
Show threadEamonnMRDec 21, 2022
@drewharwell TikTok scares me not because of who controls it but it's apparent potential for spreading particularly sticky memes, even to the point of people picking up ticks. It's the same as any social media for social contagions on some level, but it seems to be just plain better at it because of it's ability to micro-target. Endless Thread did a decent story on it recently, but it's a podcast unfortunately.