Subj : TikTok threatens shutdown
To   : PHIGAN
From : Dumas Walker
Date : Mon Apr 29 2024 08:13 am

>  > Other social media giants may do similar things but, unlike ByteDance, they
>  > are not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party.  I am not certain why that
>  > doesn't bother some people like it should.

> Really, why is it surprising or bothersome? These are just private companies.
> They're not utilities, even, or any kind of necessity, or anything beyond
> entertainment bullshit. IMO they should be able to do whatever the hell they
> want (obviously within local laws). You don't have to use their service.
> I know I don't :).

They are not all private companies.  ByteDance, parent of Tik Tok, is owned
in part by the Chinese Communist Party.  All Chinese companies are, and
they all must do as they are told by the party or someone else will be put in
charge of them.

A few years back, the big Tik Tok challenges here were eating Tide pods and
some other potentially deadly stunt (forget what it was now).  Who is to
say that the CCP hadn't set the algorithm to make sure that plenty of those
videos were shown here?

I *don't* use their service, but a whole lot of younger people do.


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