this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2025
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Here is a list of the other 34 countries that have banned it and their reasons why: https://time.com/6971009/tiktok-banned-restrictions-worldwide-countries-united-states-law/
Most countries concerned about disinformation campaigns influencing politics, or brainwashing children (probably some adults too)
That's not fair. It's totally banned in at least Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea.
India too iirc
This has been my take ever since this conversation started, I’m not on TikTok because I generally dislike social media and would become dangerously addicted to its format. But as far as propaganda, disinformation, and China snooping on users without access to state secrets it’s no worse than facebook or Twitter or any other social media app.
China snooping shouldn't even be the first reason it's banned, only apps actually required for the job should be on government devices. That's basic OPSec.
Tiktok is worse because Facebook and Twitter cooperate with governments to remove misinformation. As well as allow governments to review their algorithm.
Misinformation is going to exist. What's bad is when a platform is pushing it intentionally and your government has no power to remove it.
Even small countries like New Zealand were able to work with Facebook to get content removed.
You could argue that Twitter and Facebook are now doing exactly what tiktok is accused of doing but the difference is that the next American president supports them promoting this misinformation.
Let the record show that Facebook reluctantly cooperated with the government because they had to. Just like they reluctantly implemented better network security measures after shit happened because Zuck and Sandberg saw that as an inconvenience. They wanted to innovate their product and by that I mean make money, fucking greedy bastards.
The book An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination by Sheera Frenkel & Cecilia Kang has all the juicy details.
Yes I know they didn't do it enthusiastically but that's what happens when you're under the government. Bytedance has no obligation to do the same.
Which is ironic given that Facebook and YouTube are probably not banned. I would think that those have played a far far bigger role in the rise of the right, vaccination scepticism and general conspiracy theories
Their owned by Westerners so it's okay.
At least you could say they were held by the balls by Congress. The Zuck did testify multiple times before them regarding media manipulation. But that's the very least. It didn't work, though, because Americans were still swayed and not just by social media. Now, they want free range and they want to achieve that by jumping on Trump's smol pp... again.
Facebook is tightly woven into daily life in a lot of places. And I don't just mean outside of the united States. Small businesses use it as a home page, or they post menus or events to Instagram. As pathetic as it is they can't figure out wordpress, it's still a semi-legitimate use.
Looks like much of the northern hemisphere does not trust TickTok.
Propaganda in action.
There's a trade war between the US and China, so useful idiots are proud to do the dirty work for their rulers.
Whenever I see someone spreading FUD about tiktok or huawei, I would question them only to be met with "it's so obvious, I'm not going to tell you the details" or linking to a blog that doesn't contain any evidence. This happened, without fail, every time.
It really cemented in my mind that most people are just sheep being herded by those smarter and richer than them.
Stupidity is in vogue. It's cool to be a useful idiot.
Always has been like that I think
Ah, yes. Rule 34 of the TikTok ban.
⁽ᵈᵒⁿᵗ ᵍᵒᵒᵍˡᵉ ᵗʰᵃᵗ⁾
Wot?
So, I called it Rule 34. It was a joke.