What a TikTok Ban Would Mean for the U.S. Defense of an Open Internet
What a TikTok Ban Would Mean for the U.S. Defense of an Open Internet
www.nytimes.com
What a TikTok Ban Would Mean for the U.S. Defense of an Open Internet
Global digital rights advocates are watching to see if Congress acts, worried that other countries could follow suit with app bans of their own.
This article is what made me realize the TikTok ban actually has a point. It isn't just about an open internet. It appears ByteDance is actively manipulating content.
edit: for the record, I was literally neutral on the issue until I came across this article earlier today
Then How is Google different? From my view, It also manipulates search results.
I don't understand what US problem with China is.
Note: I am not an American nor a Chinese. I have never used tiktok before. I am just an outsider trying to get a perspective.
The US and China maintain a good economic relationship but aren't exactly buddies when it comes to geopolitical issues and have very different viewpoints on things like human rights and democracy.
I think one difference is Google is a pull system: you query Google and get results. The short form video streams are push mediums. They feed you a stream of content that it thinks you want. They are fundamentally more susceptible to pushing a particular agenda.
The evidence from the reports in the above article certainly looks pretty daming that tiktok is pushing a particular agenda. The comparison to broadcast which often does have licensing requirements is probably apt.
I don't buy the arguement that this gives cover to repressive regimes to censor more views because frankly they are doing that already.
If manipulating content were the issue they would have introduced a bill banning that practice. Banning a few specific countries from operating does not prevent sites from manipulating content.
The fact that the current TikTok that is served to the world is illegal in China should tell you a lot.
Rest of world it peddles brain dead influencers to kids. In China it is almost wholesome and helps educate children...
Giving a Chinese multinational control over mass marketing to your children means it will be used for their goals.. and not just serve as a capitalist add pushing platform.
Interesting article. I think the money quotes that shifted my POV a little were these:
and
It does place the ban in some more relevant historical context.
Yes, the context of censorship, propaganda, and extremely violent imperialism.
I skimmed the article and I see your concern, but my skepticism remains because of the inherent assumption that instagram is trustworthy and not already tinkering with their own algorithms. Just because the company is American owned doesn’t make it any more or less trustworthy in my opinion. I think the framing is flawed, but that doesn’t discount the concerns with things that are pro-taiwan having such a small presence
I do think a big reason why tiktok is now being held to the flame is the fact there is so much dissent on it. Younger Americans are becoming increasingly anti-israel and more critical of the US’s stance on foreign policy.
Instead of reacting hastily and banning tiktok I think a better action would be placing the same criticisms on domestic companies. Instead, I think we should make companies much more transparent in how they use their algorithms and filter content. Instead of getting upset that one company is censoring, and making them sell to a US company, we should instead prevent censorship more broadly.
edit: made point a bit more clear
Then do an analysis that shows Instagram has a bias and censors certain positions. I have not seen that analysis. There’s a reason the data points to only one social media site censoring views.
The only issue with Meta is how they refused to take down offensive stuff from high-profile conservatives due to political backlash.
You seem to be claiming there’s a fire without even seeing any smoke while simultaneously ignoring the flames in front of your face.
Is the issue their censoring content globally or just at all. Twitter for example is known to cave to local governmental pressure but I suppose its limited to a particular region and people outside of there are still allowed access. Really I'm more disturbed anyone is careless enough to rely on social media for news. It's no secret their all just regurgitating what they or the platform owners want. Most youtubers actively avoid controversial content just to avoid demonitisation; if youre on a platform like truth social id be surprised if you ever get an impartial voice. I literally only scroll tiktok for cute and funny vids.
TikTok isn't doing anything that any other major social media company isn't also doing. The only difference being that TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, and not a US one.
Just banning one app does little to resolve the overall privacy and information nightmare that social media is.
Oh? You have a source that other social media websites suppress certain stories?
The US government has always cared more about national security than the privacy of its citizens.
Surveying content on Tiktok by hashtag is spurious. It's not the primary method of content aggregation.
How else would you compare the topic of posts?
It's being banned primarily because AIPAC and the ADL are worried that Generation Z aren't falling for their Zionist crap anymore.
Great refutation of the data /s
Capitalist NYT going after what has been called an liberal/leftist/socialist app. Color me surprised!
I take it you didn’t really read the article haha, considering it’s entirely based on a third party analysis.
Also, that’s not really an effective counterargument.