US lawmakers vote 50-0 to force sale of TikTok despite angry calls from users

ZeroCool@slrpnk.net to Technology@lemmy.world – 600 points –
US lawmakers vote 50-0 to force sale of TikTok despite angry calls from users
arstechnica.com
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Well the CCP does exert considerable control over TikToks parent company ByteDance. The CCP has already utilized data from TikTok to track protestors and other "dissidents"

https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-bytedance-user-data-d257d98125f69ac80f983e6067a84911

No the CCP does not own Tik Tok but it might as well own it.

Unfortunately this situation is not unlike what the US government likely does. However, hopefully this precedence building policy recognizes that data privacy from 3rd party entities is needed. Will that standard be applied to US companies? Not likely any time soon but I'm optimistic.

https://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-uses-instagram-etsy-linkedin-to-find-george-floyd-protester-2020-6#:~:text=In%202016%2C%20for%20example%2C%20the,a%20way%20to%20track%20protesters.

It's fucked that an authoritarian government would use social media to track and arrest protestors. I'd love to believe that this is a move toward transparency and protecting people but I think it's a lot more likely to be a "nobody exploits social media to manipulate and repress my citizenry except me, and maybe the boy" situation.

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