FCC commissioner calls on Google and Apple to ban TikTok from their app stores

[sdms96825]

This is a comment section on a computer technology website, not a social media platform.

Except an objective review of many of the politicized comments on the site would indicate that it is becoming a social media platform.

 

[brucek]

I don't know what to make of a letter from a single FCC commissioner. Do the other commissioners not agree? Is he acting in an official capacity or is this a personal opinion on company letterhead?

Either way, the letter does seem convincing that the app does not comply with Apple's & Google's terms & conditions and there ought to be an explanation why they are OK with that. Apple in particular spends a lot of time talking publicly about how much protection its app store provides, their seal of approval is probably misleading a lot of regular people into thinking the app is safer than it is.

 

[JGert]

Ok, this might be true or it might not. Here are three problems that I have with this:

#1 - Governments have repeatedly shown over and over and over again that they have absolutely ZERO problems with lying through their teeth if it furthers their own agendas, whatever those are. How people can still give credence to what ANY government says when they've been lying to us about pretty much everything our whole lives makes me wonder just how dumb some people must be to take what their government says at face value. At what point do we become smart enough to take what governments say with a kilogram of salt? It is often said that "We'll wait for the independent test results" of CPUs and GPUs because we know better than to believe what manufacturers say. We should definitely treat the crap that governments tell us in the exact same way that we treat CPU/GPU performance claims.

#2 - Even if it IS true (and that's a big IF), who cares? What strategic value does China glean from the user information of someone who goes on rants about the most inane topics imaginable or makes funny videos about how he can make his wife gag on command? Does the special insight that they get from a blonde girl lip-syncing "Hi, I'm a s-l-u-t!" give them a leg-up on the West? Of course not, this is just the US government stirring up their populace to manufacture consent to a war with China. Why else would the USA give a damn about the user information of a few people on TikTok when they don't even care enough to give them Medicare for all? It's all a ploy and people are falling for it hook, line and sinker!

#3 - One thing that TikTok HAS proven is that it can be a lifesaver to people who are in a bad situation and have no other way to covertly ask for help. Do people need to be reminded about what happened at the "Circle of Hope Girls' Ranch" in Missouri? You know, where these girls were being beaten, raped and sodomized by the "Ultra-Christian" owner of said ranch? They used TikTok to expose what was happening and I can tell you, on that day, I considered TikTok to be one of the greatest things online just because of how it has helped so many people in bad situations get out of them. People today have memories akin to goldfish because nobody else has brought this extremely pertinent aspect of TikTok up yet so here's a reminder:
Girls alleged abuse at Circle of Hope Girls' Ranch for years. It stayed open until they got on TikTok.
As far as I'm concerned, if the price of saving these girls is China getting a little user info on TikTok, that's a goddamn bargain!

I can see your frustration, but I disagree with #2. Big Data is everything! Think of the Japanese spy that took pictures of Hawaii and used that for intelligence for Dec 7. Now, lets use AI learning and map out the entire US with behaviors (traffic, complaints, where infrastructure are, just about anything can be recorded and queried). Sailors, airmen, and soldiers were taking Tik Toks at work with aircraft operating and what not giving perfect information about aircraft and not even knowing it. So much can go into big data especially with GPS involved. The perfect intelligence source.

 

[hwertz]

Funny, isnt that what Facebook does with all their apps?

Can we also ban them?

Nah, they are an american company, so the same action doesnt apply.

Whats the saying, you are free to do as we tell you or something like that?

What a joke.

Agreed 100%, whining and going on about TikTok without bringing up the same concerns about Facebook is a joke. I don't care if TikTok is in China, they're slurping up your private information that is none of their business for marketing and commercial use, not for use of the Chinese government. Just as Facebook does. Oh, you say the Chinese gov't may try and compell them to hand over information? In case you've missed it, the US gov't does this too. My private information is mine, it is not TikToks, it is not the Chinese govt's, and it's also not Facebooks or the US govt's. I don't have either app, and actually had Facebook delete my account as well (it was totally inactive and only had my birthday and photo, no posts, but I REALLY didn't need Facebook deciding they could try to find my face in other people's photos as they had started doing a while back. Creepy.)

 

[punctualturn]

actually had Facebook delete my account as well

My understanding is, if you decide to open it back up, all of your info would be back, so they never really delete your info.
But there its ok, because double standards and stuff.

 

[ZedRM]

TikTok is a garbage platform for people with the attention span of a housefly. Banning it would likely be a good thing.

 

[nesh jesse]

Tiktok a haven for aimless drifters no offence

 

[Avro Arrow]

I can see your frustration, but I disagree with #2. Big Data is everything! Think of the Japanese spy that took pictures of Hawaii and used that for intelligence for Dec 7. Now, lets use AI learning and map out the entire US with behaviors (traffic, complaints, where infrastructure are, just about anything can be recorded and queried). Sailors, airmen, and soldiers were taking Tik Toks at work with aircraft operating and what not giving perfect information about aircraft and not even knowing it. So much can go into big data especially with GPS involved. The perfect intelligence source.

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad!

 

[Slappy McPhee]

I don't view forums at game or tech sites as social media (they're the only forums I visit). I guess it depends on personal views.

Sites and apps that people share all their daily life details and try to link you with everyone else on the site in some form or another would be social media for me.

I don't have techspot or TPU trying to suggest me friends, or suggest the next video to watch from an algorithm designed to keep you clicking and giving out more and more details about your likes/dislikes. I don't have to provide any personal info for being able to participate for others to see.

To each their own. If you feel any form of media where others can join in is "social media" (such as a forum), you're free to think that.

Makes sense.