cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/12876226

The measure that sailed unanimously through the House Energy and Commerce Committee would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform — used by roughly 170 million Americans — is quickly spun off from its China-linked parent company, ByteDance.

US officials have cited the widespread commercial availability of US citizens’ data as another source of national security risk. The US government and other domestic law enforcement agencies are also known to have purchased US citizens’ data from commercial data brokers.

  • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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    8 months ago

    I am still semi convinced that the ban is really because there are a lot of tiktokers devoted to exposing trades and corruption of congress critters in near real time. Tiktok has a lot of flaws, but it’s great for finding breaking news.

    • ThrowawaySobriquet@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      I’m there as well, but on a broader scale: I think they’re wanting to ban it because they don’t have a hotline to Xi so they can get shut shit down. Basically want it banned for doing the same things Google does, but the problem is it’s not run by their own Musk-on-a-Leash

      • DancingBear@midwest.social
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        8 months ago

        Pretty sure it’s the other way around, musk and zuck have congress on a leash. Especially musk since he has skynet and tesla and space x

        • ThrowawaySobriquet@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          All companies that are heavily involved with government contracts and subsidies. At least a Mexican standoff situation. There goes the George Carlin quote about clubs and who’s in them