Not normally a Jacobin fan but this is pretty straightforward: the move against TikTok is a combination of anti-China hysteria, American tech companies trying to squeeze out competition, and a bipartisan attempt to censor opposing views on Gaza and other issues and politically punish young people.

https://jacobin.com/2024/03/tiktok-ban-israel-gaza-free-speech

Banning TikTok Is a Terrible Idea

Large numbers of both Republican and Democratic officials, including Joe Biden, are indicating their support of a measure to ban TikTok. It’s a nonsensical idea born of elite mistrust of ordinary people.

TikTok specifically and social media generally are becoming a bipartisan bogeyman for why young people are so very angry and frustrated with the political status quo and why more people are coming out as LGBT+.
@gwynnion "The Old World is dying and the New World struggles to be born: It is a time of monsters"
@gwynnion suspect there's also a hope someone in the right-wing space can just take it over.
@gwynnion It's basically a perfect storm situation.

@gwynnion I just googled to learn that biden would sign the bill.

the arrogance is what gets me. that they can be so blatantly dismissive of both progressives and young people that they can do something like this and still fully expect ongoing political support

@seanwithwords @gwynnion Being bad at their job is part of their job. It's not easy keeping Trump and the Gop electorally competitive.
Former Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin says he's looking to buy TikTok

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he's working with a group of investors to buy TikTok.

Yahoo Finance
@gwynnion 中共极权如何利用tiktok?以你一厢情愿所说的‘’言论自由平台‘’,不止收集情报,亦用来做意识定制——在墙内靠恐怖,在美国靠“引导”。
中国控制的企业面对极权,只能服从。
还是看看极权国自己的法条吧——《中华人民共和国国家情报法》摘录:
第七条 任何组织和公民都应当依法支持、协助和配合国家情报工作,保守所知悉的国家情报工作秘密。
第十一条 国家情报工作机构应当依法搜集和处理境外机构、组织、个人实施或者指使、资助他人实施的,或者境内外机构、组织、个人相勾结实施的危害中华人民共和国国家安全和利益行为的相关情报,为防范、制止和惩治上述行为提供情报依据或者参考。
第十二条 国家情报工作机构可以按照国家有关规定,与有关个人和组织建立合作关系,委托开展相关工作。
第十四条 国家情报工作机构依法开展情报工作,可以要求有关机关、组织和公民提供必要的支持、协助和配合。
第十六条 国家情报工作机构工作人员依法执行任务时,按照国家有关规定,经过批准,出示相应证件,可以进入限制进入的有关区域、场所,可以向有关机关、组织和个人了解、询问有关情况,可以查阅或者调取有关的档案、资料、物品。