this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2025

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175

Abu Dhabi royal family to take stake in TikTok US under Trump deal * It will become platform owned by different bastards (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 3 days ago by kokesh@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] Dragonstaff@leminal.space 31 points 3 days ago (1 children)

This is part of a complete rightwing takeover of media. They used fear of China to make sure that they control every platform.

[–] DNS@discuss.online 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Hate to break it to you but the media as ALWAYS been rightwing; the outlets are owned by Oligarchs who benefit the most from in-class fighting among citizens as long as theyre distracted from the wealth inequality.

[+] Dragonstaff@leminal.space -7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Why be a dick? You don't need to break anything to me. If you don't understand that the present media consolidation is indeed novel, perhaps you should study history. But nothing I said suggested things used to be good.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

He wasn't being a dick, just pointing out that all mass media has always been owned by oligarchy. This isn't consolidation of the media under right wing, that is nonsensical because it happened since the beginning of history.

You say study history? What about Edward Murrow's warning during the Red Scare when the US disowned and kicked out all the leftist. Sounds like what we are still dealing with.

https://youtu.be/ZUMEq24tqtU

Newspapers were always owned by the wealthy and acted as their mouthpiece since the inception of this country which was founded on violence and propaganda.

I do see your point though, but it is important to point out the truth lest we fall into propaganda traps like "independent media" or "left wing" media.

[–] brendansimms@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

I think the modern consolidation of digital age mass media has been novel in that the media isn't just newspapers, magazines, or tv. In the past, it was consolidation of print media, because there was no internet or tv. Then came consolidation of tv media, which was probably easier because the delivery method was already oligarch-owned. Internet opened up all new means of mass media, and they weren't necessarily oligarch owned when they began i.e. blogs and apps and all that. First, the blogs/sites/apps had to gain a following. Only then were they ripe for takeover because they had reach. So I guess then...yea...once it becomes mass media it is taken over, so maybe I am agreeing that all mass media is right/oligarch owned. On the rise to becoming 'mass' media, though, not necessarily.

[–] Dragonstaff@leminal.space 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Starting with "Hate to break it to you" is starting an argument with someone on your own side for no reason.

We used to have laws against media consolidation. Yes, the wealthy have always owned media, however, this is still new

You're making a point slightly different than mine. It's weird and unnecessary to act like I didn't know that.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I appreciate that you consider us on the same side. This often seems to be a sticking point and causes a lot of unnecessary postering.

While his comment might be considered to be a little flippant, I don't take it as the insult you did. We will just have to disagree here.

We used to enforce laws against media consolidation, but there was no law preventing the wealthy from controlling all media as long as it wasn't all directly owned by the same entity. This isn't the panacea you seem to think it is. On a side note, I do lament things like the end of the fairness doctrine from time to time.

I believe it should have been expanded to all media as opposed to be being abolished. Actually, I don't even think it needs to be a law if we had a strong culture of considering all sides of the argument fairly. Of course, that is not the world we live in.

Another poster brought up the Internet and how it was not originally a mouthpiece for the wealthy. I remember back in the days of IRC, bulletin boards, and then blogging. I can attest to the downward trajectory discourse has taken. The rise of social media turned the Internet from a playground for techies into a propaganda machine for the oligarchy.

I didn't mean to to insinuate you didn't know all this already. I am just talking and I apologize if my word salad cones across as arrogant.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz -2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Hate to break it to you but "hate to break it to you" aren't fighting words. That's a 'you' problem.

[–] Lfrith@lemmy.ca 23 points 3 days ago

Whether it was tiktok under China or tiktok under the US I never found myself wanting to use the app and I don't see that changing. I just dislike short form video content sites in general with it being filled with wannabe influencers fighting for attention. In a way its too social for me.

And maybe I'm just a no fun grump, but probably ended up being for the best that it never got its hooks in me.

[–] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I wonder how the TikTok user base feels about this.

[–] standarduser@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 days ago

Having been someone who was once fully invested in it all and now being here, they likely don’t care or don’t understand enough to care. It’s like when the Arabian billionaires purchased pokemon go from niantic. Most of the platforms gamers didn’t care then ( at least those I know who still play that is) since the digital doesn’t yield the physical difference people (surface level folks) thinks it makes.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

They'll all go to Insta or YouTube shorts. If they care, I mean.

[–] rayyy@piefed.social 5 points 3 days ago

All the better for the beast to gather and use information about everyone.

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

This will mean there are two TikToks, right? I wonder who gets the videos that have already been uploaded, and who gets to start from scratch?

[–] Tetsuo@jlai.lu 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Why do you think there will be two tik tok ?

I see no mention of that in the article. It's just various bastards sharing a business they stole in various shares.

[–] Magister@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

There will be a US tiktok algorithm (full of racist white supremacist fascist stuff), and a RestOfTheWorld algorithm (with doorables labubu and other nonsense)

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

but is that two different companies, websites, apps, or the same but just little differences?

[–] Magister@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Not sure someone knows for the moment, but for sure the US part will have all its data in US data center and all. App can be the same binaries I guess, like Netflix for instance, that use IP/geo location to show you different stuff.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

This is my take. You'll want to turn on a VPN to see the real tik tok.

[–] MuskyMelon@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

TikTok US == LikKok

[–] kokesh@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

You mean short loveletters to dear leader in short video form?