TikTok plans to go dark on Sunday

[disneysteve]

Good. I see no socially redeeming value in TikTok.

Not to pick on you specifically but this mindset seems to be widespread here. "I don't use it so it much not serve any useful purpose." I wonder how many people who think this way about TikTok happen to use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, podcasts, internet forums LIKE THIS ONE, and all other social media platforms. Everybody here uses some form of social media by definition. I wonder what determines where people draw the line of what has "redeeming value" and what doesn't. I suspect people simply feel that the sites they use have value to them and the ones they don't use don't.

 

[flyingaway]

Right, it isn’t.
Here, it needed a bipartisan act of congress, done with 9 months of notice. Numerous court challenges as well.

I don’t believe social media’s ability to manipulate people is a good thing.
If that power is in control of the Chinese government, that becomes an even more critical concern.

In China, nothing is not under government control if they want to control. They can arrest anyone or let anyone "missing" without any reason.

 

[Midpack]

I really don't approve of platforms that exist only to manipulate people. . .

I know people that use it and it seems to be utter garbage but I have not used it.

I try to limit the amount people can track my behavior and personal data online as well. Not that anyone would want it but it is how I choose to live.

You'd be hard pressed to name any free (or some paid) online or social media platform that doesn't "manipulate" people. 'If it's free, you are the product.' However, I also actively limit my exposure online also - though most of everyone's personal information is already widely circulated - that horse left the barn long ago.

The privacy policy here is better than most, but you've consented to have some of your information shared on this site. ER.org has costs and they're entitled to generate revenue to support it for us since we pay nothing. I don't know if there are any significant free websites that are solely ad supported.

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[Aerides]

I don't use tiktok, but I know plenty of people younger than me that do. But honestly, if it's THAT bad for national security and stuff, why did it take so long to be addressed? I think its greater impact is the way it can manipulate younger people. And I don't mean give them a bad sense of self and FOMO and all that, but I mean politically from bad actors.

But other than that, "it's garbage" from non-users isn't exactly informed. There are cute cat videos!

 

[Flieger]

I don't use tiktok, but I know plenty of people younger than me that do. But honestly, if it's THAT bad for national security and stuff, why did it take so long to be addressed?

I do think the "process" by which we (US) must deal with these types of issues slows things. But these days it also seems executive orders (even to ignore laws passed by congress), or AG's "deciding" which laws to follow (never really understood that one either), can speed things. So yeah, was it really determined to be that big of a threat?

Flieger

 

[Midpack]

I don't use tiktok, but I know plenty of people younger than me that do. But honestly, if it's THAT bad for national security and stuff, why did it take so long to be addressed? I think its greater impact is the way it can manipulate younger people. And I don't mean give them a bad sense of self and FOMO and all that, but I mean politically from bad actors.

But other than that, "it's garbage" from non-users isn't exactly informed. There are cute cat videos!

WADR, how is it more manipulative than "domestic" social media platforms? Politically bad actors, foreign and domestic, are well represented on FaceBook, X and others, not just TikTok.

 

[Healthy Lifestyle]

I must be missing something since I absolutely couldn’t care less.

 

[disneysteve]

WADR, how is it more manipulative than "domestic" social media platforms? Politically bad actors are well represented on FaceBook, X and others, not just TikTok.

Exactly. Do you seriously think there is no manipulation occurring on Facebook or Twitter, especially since Musk bought the latter and now Zuckerberg has decided to eliminate fact-checking on the former?

 

[disneysteve]

I must be missing something since I absolutely couldn’t care less.

170 million of your fellow citizens are active on the platform. That's fully half of the US population. What occurs there is important whether you use the platform or not.

 

[Flieger]

Exactly. Do you seriously think there is no manipulation occurring on Facebook or Twitter, especially since Musk bought the latter and now Zuckerberg has decided to eliminate fact-checking on the former?

And the rampant manipulation from the prior (well, current for 1 more day) administration.

Flieger

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Surprised nobody's mentioned (or I missed it above) the reason it was banned in the first place - security issues. I figure since this was one of the few things recently that got bipartisan support there must be something to that. I don't trust the Chinese government.

Anyway, I couldN'T care less either, personally. Well, I care about national security, but the loss of this app doesn't affect me.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for an interesting discussion