TikTok ban coming? UPDATE-Bill is signed

I really don't think it will be banned. It might change hands and things about the app might change but I highly doubt something that lucrative will just go away.

For the record, I despise TikTok and would be overjoyed if it were banned.

I don't have a personal stake in it since I don't use it, but I think it's ridiculous that it could be banned. I thought that about reproductive rights, too.

I bet this matters to a lot more conservative women than abortion rights.

When TikTok first became available I was in China and the Chinese people were telling me to stay away from it because it was completely controlled by the Chinese government for spying purposes. If the Chinese people are telling me this then that was enough for me to never look at one Tik Tok video ever. I have spent a lot of time in China and with the Chinese people to know that most of what comes out of China should not be trusted and this Tik Tok bs is just another thing that should not be trusted at all.

ByteDance will divest, a company that’s not China-affiliated will buy TikTok and things will go on as they are. I doubt there will be any impact on users.

I love TikTok. If they ban it I hope an American company creates something just like it.

I have learned so much from it- healthy eating, people that are gay, trans, indigenous, disabled, etc. I love a lot of the creators and I have a weakness for dog videos.

It is a major time suck but it is really educational and fun.

I know not everyone gets the content that I get- my middle school kids are obviously watching something different. I think that falls on the parents, though.

Here's the thing - TikTok may get banned in the US, but the amount of US users compared to the rest of the world where it isn't banned? TikTok will continue to thrive.

I'm in Canada so no ban here. Sure some of my favourite people to follow are US based and I'll have to find other ways to follow them but I'll still be able to use it

I love TT. I have learned so much, and really worked hard to have my pages be informative (to me) and filled with fun stuff.


So I heard only 2% of all users are US. I have also heard ByteDance will not divest. There is so much information out there, but it is not owned by who people think, and honestly, I trust it more than I trust Zuckerburg/Meta, who has sold my data for sure... yet they won't go after him?

per this BBC article:  www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-68681786

TikTok has said ByteDance "is not an agent of China or any other country". And ByteDance insists it's not a Chinese firm, pointing to the many global investment firms that own 60% of it.

Founded in 2012 by Chinese entrepreneurs, ByteDance first hit the jackpot with short video app Douyin in China. A year later, it launched TikTok, an international version. TikTok was banned in China but gained a billion users in five years.



It is now run by a limited liability company based in Los Angeles and Singapore but is essentially owned by ByteDance. While its founders own only 20% of ByteDance, it's the controlling stake in the company. About 60% is owned by institutional investors, including major US investment firms such as General Atlantic, Susquehanna and Sequoia Capital. The remaining 20% is owned by employees around the world. Three of its five board members are American.


IMO this is about people spreading information that our Govt doesn't want us to know, or gather to fight against. I truly believe they want to keep us in the dark and just keep lining thier own pockets. I think this vote is going to cause even more mistrust within our Govt, which never thought that was possible, but I think lawsuits from the ACLU (among others) are going to hit, and it will go to the supreme court, and who the hell knows what they will do.

It doesn't feel this way to me. I feel like Meta has lined the pockets of politicians, so they aren't really all that worried about my data. Come on.

Also, it's funny that China is invested in so much of the US besides TT - they own a stake in our housing industry and own land here, they are invested in our healthcare, our food & water supply, our natural resources, our technology, our finances... everything that is essential for every day life  and ALL that is with the blessing of our govt. So why is this app, and THIS technology such an emergency? IMO it is bc our govt sees it as a threat to keeping us in the dark. Tons of people get news and info, and share ideas on TT. They aren't worried about misinformation spread on our news sources on TV or in print! Nope, just on TT. Our govt -instead of promoting the coming together to share ideas and benefit many together - is trying to keep us scattered.

I don’t know what “literal conspiracy theory” you think I am talking about but they no there is no way ByteDance will divest so it’s basically a ban. If you think FB or IG hasn’t sold your data you are not watching the same news I am… pretty sure FB has but not TT 🤷‍♀️

I think all social media should be regulated but the govt only seems to be picking on the one that’s not lining their pockets.

Why do you keep bringing up selling data?

That’s literally not an issue. No one is arguing that because it’s not the issue.

I am more concerned with personal data being sold, which is a "founding" reason the gov't claims they are wanting to ban TT. Most countries that do ban it, ban it on govt devices, which duh, that is a no brainer. IMO no personal or social media should be on govt issued devices.

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/13/tiktok-ban-countries-restrictions/

While the bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, the move represents growing fears about whether China may be able to access Americans’ personal data or otherwise influence them. The company has denied claims of government influence, stressed that it does not share data of U.S. users with the Chinese authorities and pointed to its funding from international investors.

The CEO of TT testified in front of Congress last year to explain it is not Chinese owned. Or how they will move servers onto US soil... plans to appease (IMO). Our govt is afraid people will be influenced to vote a certain way - THEY want to do the influencing but not to help anyone. I read there are 170 million TT users, and 5 million content creators who use TT as their job. Congress does not seem worried about that job loss or where that lack of revenue will be made up.

Last year, 2 US naturalized Chinese people - Navy sailors - gained access to US Navy boat diagrams, user manuals and turned them over to Chinese spies. THAT'S the kind of stuff I am more worried about than China getting access to people's cat videos and cooking tips. They didn't do it thru TT or some social media app. 

Currently, I am WFH on a remote desktop bc China hacked into our (Navy) VPN in December. 
www.cnn.com/2021/04/20/politics/fireeye-pulse-secure-vpn-exploit/index.html

THIS is the kind of stuff I want our govt focused on. I have seen zero evidence of China using TT for a cyber attack. They are going after much more important targets. If our govt was worried about TT security, they would worry about the other apps. They aren't. 

I understand what a conspiracy theory is. I don't feel like I am putting forth one, but rather reasons why our govt is insistant on a ban where they haven't banned other apps with the same capacity. I guess if you want to consider it a conspiracy theory, go for it.

The conspiracy theory is that the reason the government wants to ban tik tok is that “they don’t want want the truth to get out” and for people to know what is “really” going on. While ignoring the real reasons for concern.

I believe I provided my email address and maybe my cellphone, and I think a birthdate. 

I have TT. I love TT. I spend more time there than FB or IG and I think THAT is the issue that they're trying to address not the Chinese government spying, swaying public opinion. I truly believe this ban is because TT is a threat to Meta. Meta is whispering into the ears of Congress about the dangers of the Chinese government swaying public opinion. Meta wants to be the one swaying public opinion. I think if they were truly worried about the Chinese they'd be looking into why they're buying American farmland or why so many are crossing at the boarder when it's been, historically, difficult to leave China.

I'd be sad if TT was banned, I've learned a lot from that app.