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Comment by pupppet | Hacker News Reader

Ban TikTok. It’s ridiculous that everyone seems to be okay with China banning US apps but we allow their apps here.

Just makes no sense that this app has been given so much leeway here in the states when it has been proven time and time again that the Chinese government is using TikTok as a way to track US citizens and to influence our young people.

Also, Douyin (owned by the same company as TikTok) focuses on education in China while TikTok promotes the dumbest videos in the states. As the article below so eloquently articulates, "TikTok is making you dumb."

https://www.opindia.com/2022/07/tiktok-china-engineering-oth...

Is "influencing young people" not covered under freedom of speech? Sure, freedom of speech has limits on harmful speech and such, but I think outlawing something on the basis that it's intended to dumb people down would be an interesting case with potentially far-reaching consequences.

Pretty sloppy journalism, if you can even call it that. They don’t make any effort to verify the core claim of Chinese and US TikTok having different types of content. They don’t even cite a primary source, only secondary ones like Tucker Carlson.

There has been enough evidence to ban TikTok for years. I can't think of any reason it hasn't happened yet other than politics.

I suspect those who can do not understand the risk.

I suspect those who can do understand the risk, and are attempting to sabotage the nation. However, I conceded that in terms of results, the two are functionally equivalent.

It's more likely what those who can don't use TikTok. Or smartphones. Or computers. Ever.

India already did it. At that time I thought that it was outrageous but now I'm forced to reconsider.

I’m imaging a future where people are using Tor to access the hot new TikToks.

TikTor considered harmful (2028)

All that will happen is you get local clones… not a bad thing IMO.

Depending on what you view on TikTok, the international cross-cultural aspect can be a big draw of TikTok. Local clones wouldn't be able to replicate that, so I wouldn't be surprised if a sizable minority uses VPNs or Tor or whatever to keep access to the original.

We almost did. And while I didn't agree with the man that did that on most other issues, this was one issue he was right on. Unfortunately at that point there was a knee-jerk reaction to everything he did and the ban was successfully stopped.

As I understand it, the military banned TikTok a while ago.

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind”

We’re trying to do better than them, not follow their example!

Seven Psychopaths on an Eye for an Eye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxaTb4GdX18

Not a game to play when it comes to asymmetric business and trade relationships. You’re “better” until you’re irrelevant and have no industry left.

I think the point being made is that this is not just about business and trade relations, it's also about freedom of ideas, expression and censorship.

"China is doing well as an oppressive regime - why aren't we trying that?!"

Who are you quoting?

Dino Buzzati

Is "Dino Buzzati" here in the room with us now?

Agreed. Really disturbing to read comments like that at the top of this thread. Who cares if China bans US apps, we're not China so why should we ban theirs?

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