Should TikTok be banned?

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Why are we allowing a country like China; one of the most notorious human rights violators on the face of the Earth; to market in first world countries a cellphone app viewed by impressionable kids?

At best, it further funds that fucked up fascist dystopia. By rights there should be no trade with China in the first place.

At worst, it enables China to smuggle low-key, subtle propaganda messages into kids' minds. How do we know the kinds of speech that passes for "progressive" on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make progressives look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with China deregulating the workplace to the point where citizens die in industrial accidents by the hundreds at a time? How do we know what passes for "anti-eugenics" speech on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make anti-eugenics activists look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with Xi Jinping having Muslim women forced to abort? Why else do you think kids still buy their t-shirts from China? Why not ban TikTok to be on the safe side?

When we speak of "freedom of movement," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to cross international boundaries illegally, and you will be thrown into some of the most notoriously cruel prisons in the first world.

When we speak of "the right to bear arms," that right doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to smuggle guns across international boundaries, your sorry ass is going to the slammer.

When we speak of the "free market," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Trump's tariffs against international trade didn't cost him the right-wing vote; predominantly of the same voters who were otherwise such market-worshippers they voted Romney the previous time.

So why does freedom of speech include the right of countries that don't believe in freedom of speech to market cellphone apps to impressionable kids in the first world?

[Berhakonia]

Because frankly, I can't be bothered what kids and preteens waste their time on nowadays. It's a whole lotta fuss for something trivial.

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Because frankly, I can't be bothered what kids and preteens waste their time on nowadays. It's a whole lotta fuss for something trivial.

...did you even read the OP?

[New haven america]

Yes.

All Tencent properties should.

[Sincluda]

Half of this is conspiracy at best. I hate TikTok, but banning it on these grounds is the most baseless thing ever.

[Sincluda]

Yes.

All Tencent properties should.

Having read this, my mind is changed.
Fuck Tencent. Now that's a reason to ban something.

[Novostia]

No But Impose Heavy Restrictions On The Propaganda And Force The App To Tell You That It Spies On Your Personal Data

[Jabberwocky]

All those cute young girls shaking their stuff strike me as dangerous propaganda. They brainwash us with subliminal messages masquerading as silly dances.

[Goraria]

I do know that TikTok is known for being this cringy site that many young teenagers use to either spread false information or doing funny TikTok dances. I don’t know if TikTok should be banned or not. Sure it wastes time for kids and teens for doing their school work and stuff and it’s owned by a Chinese company which is owned by the Chinese government but hey do we really need to ban it? If we’re talking about privacy and shit then sure we should but if it comes to entertainment (apart from the misinformation and the conspiracies that are obviously fake) then no we shouldn’t.

[SICK BRINGS ME WORLD]

Tik tok is ruining the brains of Chinese people with its horrible format, so you should be happy about it. All it shows is people acting stupid. You just hate it because its from China.

[Whitemore]

"Why else do you think kids still buy their t-shirts from China? "

I don't know, let me go to any store in my area and look at the tags in their shirts, I bet I'll see "Made in China" on it. It's not exactly like we have a choice either when most of the products we buy come from out of the United States. If you're really upset with that take it to the companies that have factories in China, not a app designed to get children to make fools of themselves.

[Storalia]

Going to play devil's advocate here. While TikTok and Tencent are abhorrent and may be a security risk, I think this pales in comparison to the threat Google and Facebook pose. What's to say they aren't also handing over information to China in exchange for sweet sweet cash? They've already shown themselves more than willing to sell data to the US government, allowing it to circumvent warrants.

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Tik tok is ruining the brains of Chinese people with its horrible format, so you should be happy about it. All it shows is people acting stupid. You just hate it because its from China.

My qualm wasn't with the Chinese people, it was with the Chinese government. -.-

Remember, Chinese citizens didn't vote for Xi Jinping. We did. We did every time we continued to buy Chinese goods after the Tianjin explosion.

[Anglo-Francios]

Why are we allowing a country like China; one of the most notorious human rights violators on the face of the Earth; to market in first world countries a cellphone app viewed by impressionable kids?

At best, it further funds that fucked up fascist dystopia. By rights there should be no trade with China in the first place.

At worst, it enables China to smuggle low-key, subtle propaganda messages into kids' minds. How do we know the kinds of speech that passes for "progressive" on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make progressives look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with China deregulating the workplace to the point where citizens die in industrial accidents by the hundreds at a time? How do we know what passes for "anti-eugenics" speech on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make anti-eugenics activists look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with Xi Jinping having Muslim women forced to abort? Why else do you think kids still buy their t-shirts from China? Why not ban TikTok to be on the safe side?

When we speak of "freedom of movement," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to cross international boundaries illegally, and you will be thrown into some of the most notoriously cruel prisons in the first world.

When we speak of "the right to bear arms," that right doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to smuggle guns across international boundaries, your sorry ass is going to the slammer.

When we speak of the "free market," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Trump's tariffs against international trade didn't cost him the right-wing vote; predominantly of the same voters who were otherwise such market-worshippers they voted Romney the previous time.

So why does freedom of speech include the right of countries that don't believe in freedom of speech to market cellphone apps to impressionable kids in the first world?

For being as cringy as it is... yes

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Going to play devil's advocate here. While TikTok and Tencent are abhorrent and may be a security risk, I think this pales in comparison to the threat Google and Facebook pose. What's to say they aren't also handing over information to China in exchange for sweet sweet cash? They've already shown themselves more than willing to sell data to the US government, allowing it to circumvent warrants.

Monitor conversations with foreign entities, then. Prove that they're only selling it to duly elected US officials, not some unelected foreign tyrant.

It's not like people care about privacy from elected officials that much anymore anyway, if how much they spend on a flat in London is anything to go by.

[Storalia]

Why are we allowing a country like China; one of the most notorious human rights violators on the face of the Earth; to market in first world countries a cellphone app viewed by impressionable kids?

At best, it further funds that fucked up fascist dystopia. By rights there should be no trade with China in the first place.

At worst, it enables China to smuggle low-key, subtle propaganda messages into kids' minds. How do we know the kinds of speech that passes for "progressive" on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make progressives look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with China deregulating the workplace to the point where citizens die in industrial accidents by the hundreds at a time? How do we know what passes for "anti-eugenics" speech on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make anti-eugenics activists look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with Xi Jinping having Muslim women forced to abort? Why else do you think kids still buy their t-shirts from China? Why not ban TikTok to be on the safe side?

When we speak of "freedom of movement," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to cross international boundaries illegally, and you will be thrown into some of the most notoriously cruel prisons in the first world.

When we speak of "the right to bear arms," that right doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to smuggle guns across international boundaries, your sorry ass is going to the slammer.

When we speak of the "free market," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Trump's tariffs against international trade didn't cost him the right-wing vote; predominantly of the same voters who were otherwise such market-worshippers they voted Romney the previous time.

So why does freedom of speech include the right of countries that don't believe in freedom of speech to market cellphone apps to impressionable kids in the first world?

For being as cringy as it is... yes

Unsure if this is a serious response, but I don't think "I don't like it" is a good reason to ban something. I don't like the Grammys/Oscars and think it's just a group of elitists congratulating themselves, but I don't try to get it banned, I just don't watch it.

[Whitemore]

Why are we allowing a country like China; one of the most notorious human rights violators on the face of the Earth; to market in first world countries a cellphone app viewed by impressionable kids?

At best, it further funds that fucked up fascist dystopia. By rights there should be no trade with China in the first place.

At worst, it enables China to smuggle low-key, subtle propaganda messages into kids' minds. How do we know the kinds of speech that passes for "progressive" on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make progressives look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with China deregulating the workplace to the point where citizens die in industrial accidents by the hundreds at a time? How do we know what passes for "anti-eugenics" speech on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make anti-eugenics activists look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with Xi Jinping having Muslim women forced to abort? Why else do you think kids still buy their t-shirts from China? Why not ban TikTok to be on the safe side?

When we speak of "freedom of movement," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to cross international boundaries illegally, and you will be thrown into some of the most notoriously cruel prisons in the first world.

When we speak of "the right to bear arms," that right doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to smuggle guns across international boundaries, your sorry ass is going to the slammer.

When we speak of the "free market," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Trump's tariffs against international trade didn't cost him the right-wing vote; predominantly of the same voters who were otherwise such market-worshippers they voted Romney the previous time.

So why does freedom of speech include the right of countries that don't believe in freedom of speech to market cellphone apps to impressionable kids in the first world?

For being as cringy as it is... yes

Almost everything in human existence is hereby banned under the degree of Anglo-Francios.

[Falangist Yunnan]

OP is a glow-in-the-dark. I'm not taking your bait. To anyone contemplating this thread, do not engage with this Mossad agent.

[Storalia]

Going to play devil's advocate here. While TikTok and Tencent are abhorrent and may be a security risk, I think this pales in comparison to the threat Google and Facebook pose. What's to say they aren't also handing over information to China in exchange for sweet sweet cash? They've already shown themselves more than willing to sell data to the US government, allowing it to circumvent warrants.

Monitor conversations with foreign entities, then. Prove that they're only selling it to duly elected US officials, not some unelected foreign tyrant.

It's not like people care about privacy that much anymore anyway, if how much they spend on a flat in London is anything to go by.

I don't think them selling data to US officials is good either. I don't trust any government, it's just I distrust some governments more than others.

...and sure, while many people are more than happy to sell their privacy for a service or the ability to order kippers with their voice, there are folks like me who are privacy nuts who do care, and think that the nigh monopolistic actions of Facebook/Google/Yaddayadda are downright disgusting. I do think an investigation needs to be launched to big tech in general, but again I don't think TikTok is an offender on the same scale as some western big tech.

Before anyone accuses me of sucking up to China, I think the CCP should get bent. The sooner they collapse the better the world will be, especially for those living inside China.

[503]

Going to play devil's advocate here. While TikTok and Tencent are abhorrent and may be a security risk, I think this pales in comparison to the threat Google and Facebook pose. What's to say they aren't also handing over information to China in exchange for sweet sweet cash? They've already shown themselves more than willing to sell data to the US government, allowing it to circumvent warrants.

Well said. The real crime here is ignoring the US's multiple human rights abuses, and its rather hypocritical to bring up China in every sentence when the tech world has long been dominated by companies like Google and Facebook that leave in backdoors for the US.

[503]

Going to play devil's advocate here. While TikTok and Tencent are abhorrent and may be a security risk, I think this pales in comparison to the threat Google and Facebook pose. What's to say they aren't also handing over information to China in exchange for sweet sweet cash? They've already shown themselves more than willing to sell data to the US government, allowing it to circumvent warrants.

Monitor conversations with foreign entities, then. Prove that they're only selling it to duly elected US officials, not some unelected foreign tyrant.

It's not like people care about privacy from elected officials that much anymore anyway, if how much they spend on a flat in London is anything to go by.

"Elected" US officials are chosen by who, exactly? In some parts of the world it's called corruption, but in the Anglo-American sphere it's called lobbying.

[Storalia]

Going to play devil's advocate here. While TikTok and Tencent are abhorrent and may be a security risk, I think this pales in comparison to the threat Google and Facebook pose. What's to say they aren't also handing over information to China in exchange for sweet sweet cash? They've already shown themselves more than willing to sell data to the US government, allowing it to circumvent warrants.

Well said. The real crime here is ignoring the US's multiple human rights abuses, and its rather hypocritical to bring up China in every sentence when the tech world has long been dominated by companies like Google and Facebook that leave in backdoors for the US.

...I mean, the US does have human rights abuses, but nowhere near the scale of genocide or what happened in Hong Kong.

[503]

Well said. The real crime here is ignoring the US's multiple human rights abuses, and its rather hypocritical to bring up China in every sentence when the tech world has long been dominated by companies like Google and Facebook that leave in backdoors for the US.

...I mean, the US does have human rights abuses, but nowhere near the scale of genocide or what happened in Hong Kong.

Do I need to bring up my list of countries where the US has admitted to or believed to participate in regime change?

[Goraria]

Why are we allowing a country like China; one of the most notorious human rights violators on the face of the Earth; to market in first world countries a cellphone app viewed by impressionable kids?

At best, it further funds that fucked up fascist dystopia. By rights there should be no trade with China in the first place.

At worst, it enables China to smuggle low-key, subtle propaganda messages into kids' minds. How do we know the kinds of speech that passes for "progressive" on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make progressives look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with China deregulating the workplace to the point where citizens die in industrial accidents by the hundreds at a time? How do we know what passes for "anti-eugenics" speech on TikTok wasn't a ploy by China to make anti-eugenics activists look irrational so kids would be more comfortable with Xi Jinping having Muslim women forced to abort? Why else do you think kids still buy their t-shirts from China? Why not ban TikTok to be on the safe side?

When we speak of "freedom of movement," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to cross international boundaries illegally, and you will be thrown into some of the most notoriously cruel prisons in the first world.

When we speak of "the right to bear arms," that right doesn't cross international boundaries. Try to smuggle guns across international boundaries, your sorry ass is going to the slammer.

When we speak of the "free market," that freedom doesn't cross international boundaries. Trump's tariffs against international trade didn't cost him the right-wing vote; predominantly of the same voters who were otherwise such market-worshippers they voted Romney the previous time.

So why does freedom of speech include the right of countries that don't believe in freedom of speech to market cellphone apps to impressionable kids in the first world?

For being as cringy as it is... yes

There’s always a good side to TikTok although yes I would personally agree that TikTok is mostly cringe. I hate those people who do something bad just to get more clout especially those people who does stuff like,”Make _____ more popular than this video” even though they don’t get money by it, unlike YouTube, it’s still annoying.

[Belshekistan]

"Tik Tok is subliminal Chinese propaganda" sounds like it has about as much basis in reality as Trump's claims of massive voter fraud. I'm not a fan of tik tok and don't personally use it, but a lot of people have fun with it, so in my opinion the world is a better place for it.