this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2024
20 points (100.0% liked)

Socialism

2843 readers
5 users here now

Beehaw's community for socialists, communists, anarchists, and non-authoritarian leftists (this means anti-capitalists) of all stripes. A place for all leftist and labor news and discussion, as long as you're nice about it.


Non-socialists are welcome to come to learn, though it's hard to get to in-depth discussions if the community is constantly fighting over the basics. We ask that non-socialists please be respectful and try not to turn this into a "left vs right" debate forum by asking leading questions or by trying to draw others into a fight.


This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Congress’s moves against TikTok threaten freedom of speech and are grounded in baseless anti-Chinese hysteria. That dangerous fearmongering attitude appears to be becoming bipartisan consensus.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I honestly don't think the title is accurate at all.

As I know tiktok is not banned because it is a chinese platform, but because it is under heavy influence of the chinese government.

Now that is an other thing too that they fear their loss of control over the media. I agree with banning tiktok, but not because they are from an other country, but for proper reasons of immense data mining and the ability of mass deception through it, but of course they won't outlaw that.
It's so bad if it's true that everyday people have to turn to tiktok to discuss about isreal and their ties with the wide west, because facebook and twitter does not allow it.

In the past I wasn't sure about how to treat currentaffairs articles, but that is not a question anymore.

[–] Quexotic@beehaw.org 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

I agree with you. I am afraid that there's no way to really ban it. All you need is a VPN to bypass whatever they come up with. What concerns me is that this just makes it security theater and puts on display the government's ineptitude with technology.

This leaves me with the assumption that there is an ulterior motive that since this still sets precedent that though ineffective, they can misuse the precedent for nefarious ends.

Just look at how China restricts it's internet. Could that become us?

I do have anxiety about any limiting of free speech as well. That aspect of this situation is also concerning.

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I am afraid that there's no way to really ban it. All you need is a VPN to bypass whatever they come up with.

I think it depends. Banning them from the main app stores is something too. That way at least users gain back at least some privacy, as anything constrained to a web browser has much much less access to device data than any app. I like to use the gyroscope and the compass as an example: it does not require a permission, it is a free for all, the tiktok app (and others too of course, including facebook) can basically infer from it's readings what are you doing, how are you traveling right now, and depending on sensor accuracy, to where.
Maybe banning the website is too far, but I don't think that's needed to have some effect.

This leaves me with the assumption that there is an ulterior motive that since this still sets precedent that though ineffective, they can misuse the precedent for nefarious ends.

I fear that too

Could that become us?

I've just recently heard that my country made a contract with china to import surveillance tech. That is central EU.

[–] Quexotic@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I don't know, banning it from the app store would definitely reduce the number of users but if the app is already on the device it's not going anywhere. Plus it's a free app so at least with Android it's easy enough to side load it or get it from a website like APKPure or somewhere else. All you got to do is change a little setting and allow the installation of apps from unknown sources in your browser. This would have the effect of introducing whole new vectors for infection and compromise.

On the flip side I do see it as a legitimate national security threat so really it's a no-win situation.

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

but if the app is already on the device it's not going anywhere

Google can remotely remove and install apps, even without user notice. I mean that it is a current (old) ability of their preinstalled software.
But also, people change phones, or sometimes reset it.

Plus it's a free app so at least with Android it's easy enough to side load it or get it from a website like APKPure or somewhere else

Not sure how many of them would try that. Most average people don't know how to use their phone, only how to use the services made for them. Or at least that's how I see it nowadays.

[–] Quexotic@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Not sure how many of them would try that. Most average people don't know how to use their phone, only how to use the services made for them. Or at least that's how I see it nowadays.

They're one YouTube video away from VPN and APKPure.

Google can remotely remove and install apps, even without user notice.

TIL. Time to think a little harder about de-googling.

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

TIL. Time to think a little harder about de-googling.

As a proof, open the app's page on the play store on your web browser on PC, you'll be offered to install the app to one of your devices logged in. It's the inverse, not the exact thing I said, but closely related