I’m not gonna suggest that it’s right that US companies often evade government scrutiny and actin, but I also don’t think it’s hypocritical for a country to be interested in protecting itself from other countries. That’s just national interest. We need protections within the country too, but that’s not the same conversation.

And tbh, the meme is pretty on point because a family may treat each other poorly often, but they are much less accepting of an outside party doing the same as it can be seen as a risk to the group at large.

people seem to glaze over the fact that China is at odds with the United States politically, the ban has little to do with protecting people’s privacy and more to do with preventing another country from having such an influential tool ready at their fingertips.

Also I know it’s the whole “you are not immune to propoganda” meme but look at the reactions to this bill online. If this isn’t proof enough that ByteDance has the tools and ability to push an agenda through their app idk what is, and during an election year when the U.S. has already had enough problems with foreign interference. If we cannot trust ByteDance not to retaliate against the U.S. when profits are on the line, they probably shouldn’t be trusted with so much control on what our citizens are watching and hearing.

I don’t like this bill because it’s another bandaid solution to a systemic problem. Okay, so we ban Tik Tok, but that won’t stop Chinese and Russian actors from using other social media to do the same thing. If Tik Tok is a problem then so are Truth Social and Parler.

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

Except I don’t consider this to be “good.” There’s already rumors about people in the US buying Tik Tok to get around this ban. They’ll be doing the same bullshit but because it’s American bullshit it’s suddenly okay.

I don’t want Steve Mnuchin to have my data just like I don’t want the CCP to have it.

I don’t want Steve Mnuchin to have my data just like I don’t want the CCP to have it.

That’s not hard to get around though. It just costs money because most of everything you consume on the internet is free because sites make money through ads.

Use a VPN, Firefox, disposable emails and usernames, and you’re already 95% of the way there.

Okay, how about this: I don’t want Steve Mnuchin to be able to influence elections just like I don’t want the CCP to be able to do it.

Vote Democrat and push to get Citizens United repealed. Until then he’s going to have more power that way anyway.

Even after that repeal, billionaires will have that influence regardless. Public opinion means squat when there’s a select minority voting against their constituents wishes anyway.

push

People say that like anyone knows where to push. Should I be looking for a lever or a button? Is it labeled?

billionaires will have that influence regardless

Which is exactly my problem with this: Yes, letting the CCP influence are elections is bad. But so is letting billionaires, but nobody in the government seems to give a damn.

en.wikipedia.org/…/Progressive_Democrats_of_Ameri…

en.wikipedia.org/…/Factions_in_the_Democratic_Par…

progressives.house.gov