Sure, TikTok is terrible in many ways. But the hypocrisy of its critics, especially members of Congress, is almost beyond belief.
The problem with TikTok is the same one we have with countless other Internet products: They are relentless violators of our privacy and security.
Fix that, and you've fixed TikTok.
Democrats are just as bad as Republicans on this. And so is Big Journalism, which mostly just amplifies the lies.
This is a moral panic with a mercantile edge.
@dangillmor The problem with TikTok is that it's controlled by China.
As Jaron Lanier put it the other day: "I think TikTok is dangerous and should be banned … because it’s controlled by the Chinese, and should there be difficult circumstances there are lots of horrible tactical uses it could be put to. I don’t think it’s an acceptable risk."
@hughster @dangillmor sure, but I don't think other surveillance capitalism companies are any better. They'll also abuse your data for *anyone* who pays them. That includes foreign adversaries.
We need strong data protection laws against all of this stuff.
@hughster @jamesmarshall This is true. We shouldn't pass China off as "just another face in the data collection crowd".
China attempts to gain control of other countries through the back door, buying up key economic nexus points in a country. It could be businesses, property or distribution and supply companies. For that they need intel and Social Media is a great way to get it.
I agree that data collection should be by choice. But China is a standalone because of its methods.
China is using part of its internal internet surveillance network to mine data from Western social media and provide its government agents with information on foreign targets, The Washington Post reported on Friday. Reviewing hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings, the Post reported that China’s public opinion analysis software — used to detect…
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