- US companies have data. Law requires that government must ask or hack to get that data.
- Chinese companies freely share data and government has unfettered access.
There's a fine line and I have 3 points to make.
1) In one companies can say "no." In the second, companies can't. The ability to say no is important because as consumer opinion is changing we've seen more companies exercise that power.
2) More data is more power. In the first model data is distributed, in the second model it is aggregated (this is why I'd also never install a WeChat like app even if it came from Facebook).
3) There's a big difference, as an American, if my data is held by another country or not. American politicians and companies have to care about my voice (even if not much) because I elect them and can sue them. I cannot influence CCP politics, laws, or trade agreements. So at least if the data is in an enemy's hands locally I have some chance of doing something about it.
One of the key points here is that disliking one doesn't equate to liking another. Disliking Chinese companies does not mean I like that US companies have it. Disliking that US companies have that data doesn't mean that there's no difference in China (enough of the 五毛党 talk). Nuance exits. Good and bad are not discrete values but a continuous spectrum. I'll fight to stop both, but fight harder to prevent the one I have less autonomy over.
US government definitely trusts US companies more that Chinese companies.
I don't find it unreasonable to want to ban TikTok. Seems like the national security's risk is real.
The frustration is that for years, privacy advocates have been trying to find the right set of words to make people understand that it is bad for US companies have so much data on so many Americans. The argument is always dismissed as not being an important issue, or that it's good for rooting out terrorists or pedophiles. But privacy advocates have also been saying this whole time, "what if this data falls into the wrong hands" on deaf ears.
In an ideal world we would ban TikTok but also regulate how user data is obtained, stored, and used by US companies.
You can issue warrants warrants for your own jurisdiction, within your own country. Once data crosses country borders, it's much harder to get access to. The US (understandably) wants this data within their own country. Similarly, China also wants this data within their own country.
So having the data in the hands of US companies - problem,
having the data in hands of Chinese companies - maybe less of a problem,
having the data in hands of Chinese companies when Chinese government doesn't like me for any reason - really big problem,
having the data in hands of US companies when American government doesn't like me - approximately as big a problem as before (depending on what reason US doesn't like me)
on edit: formatting
I can't imagine why you don't think that when the CCP actively pursues Chinese activists and Uighur Muslims, including Chinese-Americans with ties (like family) to the mainland. Or maybe those people just aren't anyone you care about.
>vaguely implying that criticism of your hypothetical scenario comes from indignant moralists.
No, just your criticism so far. I'm sure there are other criticisms people might make but I read yours as an accusation of being morally bad for not hitting the notes you want hit, as if by not hitting those notes in this comment I cannot ever do so in another one should I feel the timing is right.
I guess you also feel you were making a comment on my immorality because otherwise you would have said something like "you've misread my comment, perhaps don't be so quick to aggravation"
My last sentence "Or maybe those people just aren't anyone you care about" isn't necessarily some kind of veiled insult, it's a real position that some people hold and one that I offered as an option. There was actually a reply to my comment (it's currently flagged so you may not be able to see it) that implied China's actions are justified because Falun Gong is a separatist group. This kind of reasoning is not uncommon in Chinese nationals, among others.
So that said, sorry for taking offense. I guess I am on edge recently.