Should TikTok Be Banned?

[vcczar]

New poll based on Sec of State Blinken suggesting that TikTok needs to be ended one way or another. 

I've never used it. I don't know the rationale for banning. My assumption is that we're just anti-Chinese enough as a nation that it sound politically popular. I could be wrong. I tend to have to be convinced to support bans. 

[Rezi]

I don't like banning people from downloading whichever apps they want on their own personal devices. I also find it really hypocritical to say we need to ban it because of Chinese data collection when American apps and websites are doing the exact same thing.

[10centjimmy]

Definitely shouldn't ban it from the public at large, but it could be blocked from federal government equipment.  I'm pretty sure most social media is already on a no no list. 

[jnewt]

I think it should be banned because I don't like it.

[Rezi]

15 minutes ago, jnewt said:

I think it should be banned because I don't like it.

I agree. This is why I feel that the US Government needs to ban the Coca-Cola Corporation.

[ShortKing]

I think the data capture capabilities of Tik Tok are fairly demonstrably much more invasive than your typical app, and the difference between domestic companies having access to sensitive data and foreign adversaries having access to sensitive data should, I think, go without saying. There are potential solutions besides an outright ban for public use, such as having the company be sold to a buyer who will not be granting the Chinese government access to what data is collected, but if the only options are ban versus no ban, then I think the only prudential option is to ban. 

[jnewt]

23 minutes ago, Rezi said:

I agree. This is why I feel that the US Government needs to ban the Coca-Cola Corporation.

I've already been saying that Dasani should be illegal (tastes bad), so I'd be on board with banning its parent company if that would get rid of it quicker

[mark2]

We can ban tiktok and A&W together. Fuck that stupid bear.

[Cenzonico]

Tik Tok as an platform is a cesspool, but having the federal government just straight up ban an app from public use doesn't sit right for me.

[ConservativeElector2]

17 hours ago, Cenzonico said:

Tik Tok as an platform is a cesspool, but having the federal government just straight up ban an app from public use doesn't sit right for me.

I agree with you in theory, but this issue is a little different for me. I believe TikTok is as harmful as all social media platforms, especially if one's own live becomes dependent on some influencers or whatever. That's not why I am in favor of banning the app altogether. People are responsible for their own actions, so they are free to use these silly apps 24/7. However, TikTok is an evil instrument brought upon us by the dictatorial Chinese regime and that's what needs to be countered.

I can't support the argument, that the US essentially does the same data-collecting like China. The reason the US has to do this, is to fight the evils of this world like China, Russia, Iran you name it.

[Rezi]

2 minutes ago, ConservativeElector2 said:

I can't support the argument, that the US essentially does the same data-collecting like China. The reason the US has to do this, is to fight the evils of this world like China, Russia, Iran you name it.

The Chinese probably use this exact same argument when they ban American apps.

[ShortKing]

1 minute ago, Rezi said:

The Chinese probably use this exact same argument when they ban American apps.

They also ban Tik Tok, fwiw

[Rezi]

And fwiw to add to my argument: I would unironically rather have a foreign government, in a country where I do not live and will never visit, have access to my data, than the country where I reside. My data is worthless to the Chinese government. It's also pretty worthless to my own government, but that could theoretically change.

[Pringles]

6 minutes ago, Rezi said:

And fwiw to add to my argument: I would unironically rather have a foreign government, in a country where I do not live and will never visit, have access to my data, than the country where I reside. My data is worthless to the Chinese government. It's also pretty worthless to my own government, but that could theoretically change.

I don’t really understand this argument because you said it yourself, your data is worthless. My data is worthless. I’d rather have robot Zuckerberg taking a peak at it though than the Chinese government looking not only through mine, but others to potentially create a large array of espionage on American citizens and use it against us in the future. We already know about Chinese and Russian cyberattacks on our country, I’d rather cut off all avenues that would give them an advantage in that. 
 

[ShortKing]

18 minutes ago, Rezi said:

And fwiw to add to my argument: I would unironically rather have a foreign government, in a country where I do not live and will never visit, have access to my data, than the country where I reside. My data is worthless to the Chinese government. It's also pretty worthless to my own government, but that could theoretically change.

Americans' data is not worthless to foreign adversaries, we have seen Russian operatives seeking to sow tension and discord among US citizens in the run-up to multiple elections with misinformation and race-baiting hate-mongering in order to inflame and divide. It is not hard to imagine a more sophisticated effort made possible by having access to countless Americans' internet habits and personal data to make this targeting more efficient and effective.

[Cenzonico]

42 minutes ago, ConservativeElector2 said:

I agree with you in theory, but this issue is a little different for me. I believe TikTok is as harmful as all social media platforms, especially if one's own live becomes dependent on some influencers or whatever. That's not why I am in favor of banning the app altogether. People are responsible for their own actions, so they are free to use these silly apps 24/7. However, TikTok is an evil instrument brought upon us by the dictatorial Chinese regime and that's what needs to be countered.

I can't support the argument, that the US essentially does the same data-collecting like China. The reason the US has to do this, is to fight the evils of this world like China, Russia, Iran you name it.

I'm hesitant to believe that Tik Tok is just some front for the CCP to commit mass surveillance on millions of Americans. They likely already have been doing that by other means anyway, but I guess it wouldn't hurt for them to add on. 

At the cost of liberty of course, though it certainly isn't the same form of surveillance. The NSA logs degenerate shit people look up and calls it a day. Maybe the FBI will wire-tap every once in a while. In say China they log people to enforce compliance. Either way, I find both harmful.

[Mothwoman]

TikTok is a Chinese spyware app designed to collect our data and brainwash our young people into being gender bending homosexual transvestites. Libs of TikTok is a great twitter account all about this fact, really one of the only reasons I use twitter. I wish Tucker Carlson weighs in on the issue soon, he’s really one of the best news anchors on tv these days. I absolutely support a ban on this cesspool of degeneracy.

[DakotaHale]

Security and data protection risk.

[Edouard]

I don't trust a company which is in a country where the absence of independence of the judiciary doesn't allow me to sue it if this company uses its app to violate my privacy.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Edouard

[jvikings1]

Package it with an end to the US government surveillance state.