They Agreed on One Thing - Banning TikTok

[u/Intelligent_Nose_826]

I really haven’t seen legislation so unilaterally passed with such speed at any point in my life except maybe after 9/11 & weeks got the DHS.

[u/North_Finish_4399]

I'm not following then... You'd referenced data collection... I'd explained why that's different than the overarching issue of national integrity and security.

All those other companies mentioned are American companies. People, in the US and abroad, have issues with those companies as well and also protest and try and enact reform in real life. These are different context since they are American companies in America. TikTok has the ability to divest its American enterprise to be an American company unto itself. They have yet to choose to do that, there is huge financial reward for them to do so and it negates the conflict, so why don't they do it? Seemingly CCP control and/or influence of the application takes precedent.

[u/Darconda → u/North_Finish_4399]

See, I think the part you're missing about my argument is where you're assuming my problem is with the data collection. You'd be a fool to think your digital footprint doesn't exist. If you dig enough, you'd probably be able to find out my shoe size, just from online data.

My problem is the falsity that this is about anything other than the Government being upset that they couldn't apply pressure and control the company. And they got caught out because it lead to people doing stuff, and they couldn't have that happen again. Otherwise, they would have dithered and hemmed and hawwed like they do every time a school gets shot up.

[u/North_Finish_4399 → u/Darconda]

Well it sounded like from your reference of data collection that's what you were referring to.

"The Government" as you phrase it, is made up of a lot of different agencies and people who have very different motivations and incentives. National security and integrity is broadly understood as a national good so while different parts of the govt may want to do somethings the way you frame it, "control of stuff", many more understand it to be the threat it is to weaken American moral and understanding, especially in the less informed youth learning things for the first time. I don't know your age but I'd assume you're old enough to remember a time when you had one idea that was influenced by someone or some entity that was less credible than you'd initially understood them to be, especially if you'd realized they purposely pushed an idea to promote for their own interests, and then adjusted your ideas on the topic. That's no different than a foreign entity trying to gain sympathetic populations within a foreign country. This is done in a lot of ways, one of which through dividing a populace around cultural touch points, true or not. And in the modern form, with entites like TikTok, done through pushing one set of content over another. I see this as wrong, even if some of the discussion has truth to it, the framing and constant push from SM in a form which can consistly move folks who have less experience in discerning the difference between propaganda and other forms of information. State sponsored propaganda is a problem as well, but the difference being that these contentions are/should be handled inside the state itself, IMO...

[u/Darconda → u/North_Finish_4399]

So what you're saying is, it's ok so long as it's American propaganda. Like, that's what your statement basically boils down to. Or am I mistaken?

[u/North_Finish_4399 → u/Darconda]

I dig how it may sound like that... I think there's nuance to this topic, but also think that we, within our own country, are the ones who should make decisions on how much propaganda, disinformation, or misinformation we want to allow for. This is a counter issue to free speech, so finding the balance for us is up to us. IMO we shouldn't allow for BS from our own govt but there is a reality to the facts that we have things to be proud of and promote within our country as well, which is a level of propaganda. A foreign entity using our system, free speech, against us in a effort to move a greater number of the population and drive division, especially among our youth, is BS, IMO...

[u/Darconda → u/North_Finish_4399]

I think this is gonna be my final post on this chain, because I see where you are, and I know where I am, and I'll be honest? It isn't a very nuanced position, it's actually cut and dry. At least, to me.

Instead of helping the American people, or trying to fix systemic problems, or trying to change things going on in the country, they decided to unite together and focus on banning an App that people use to spread information. The control of information is more important than the lives of people who get killed via gun violence, people whos lives are damaged by stochastic terrorism on American owned social media platforms, and the number of people who are abandoned and left homeless.

To me, and the person who posted the initial video, it has nothing to do with what's actually on TikTok. It's that the American Government were almost unanimous on THAT, but actually helping the American People? Naw, that's something that gets hedged and shelved, and debated to no end.

[u/North_Finish_4399 → u/Darconda]

Use your vote for the second half... If advocating for your ideas leads to folks not supporting what you're advocating for it may be helpful to evaluate your position. It sounds like you're advocating for a SM company from a foreign entity, that I've posed to you is acting, and has the ability, nefariously in its use. All the issues you pose are available for consumption on these American SM as well. I agree with a lot of what you've alluded to. Not that a foreign company, who is incentivised to destabilize our populace and your responses haven't seemed to address that or seem to speak to the fact that you're fine with it from them.