TikTok

[TheDrake]

Can somebody explain to me this grave threat that TikTok poses to the American people? Will the Communists get access to our advanced choreography? Will they find out that I'm following Cart Narcs, Bob Menery, and the New Orleans Saints? Will they discover that this decadent American watches videos during work hours?

Wired doesn't seem to know either

If you need me, I'll be watching Gilbert Gottfried lip syncing to Katy Perry.

[Wayward Son]

If you need me, I'll be watching Gilbert Gottfried lip syncing to Katy Perry.

Well, that's why you're not worried about it.  Only a COMMUNIST would view something like that!   

[LetterRip]

The claim I've seen is that it could use location data for blackmail and spying.

[TheDeamon]

The claim I've seen is that it could use location data for blackmail and spying.

And anything else it could possibly data mine from your phone that you gave it permission to learn about under the seemingly benign justifications for why it needs your contact list(to talk to your friends), location information(to better interact with where you are), message history(so you can see your previously discussions with your friends of course!), and of course, the other apps which happen to be running on your phone... Like say apps which only people in certain lines of work are likely to be using.

[TheDrake]

Those are great reasons for better data privacy laws. But why should I be more worried about TikTok than Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Google, etc? Even if I'm worried about the Chinese in particular, would it really be harder for their cyber army to hack one of the other many databases?

As pointed out in the Wired article, they are already hacking bunches of databases not located in China, and infiltrating companies.

EFF doesn't think the ban is Constitutional, nor TikTok a particularly severe threat for the average user.

There are people who may have concerns about China having access to their data who have not had the same concerns about the US or EU countries: student protesters in Hong Kong, Uighurs, Covid 19 researchers, executives at Fortune 500 companies concerned about theft of IP, journalists with sources in China that they want to protect, US government employees, military personnel stationed abroad. Citing security concerns, both the RNC and DNC have warned their campaign not to use TikTok, and Wells Fargo has banned the app internally. But you can acknowledge that there are genuine security concerns for certain populations while opposing efforts to unilaterally ban an app used by millions of Americans. It’s possible, even in this day and age, to have multiple thoughts about a complex issue.

Nor, why China is singled out when the US government can get user data from any US tech company with a National Security Letter and no oversight.

[yossarian22c]

Those are great reasons for better data privacy laws. But why should I be more worried about TikTok than Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Google, etc? Even if I'm worried about the Chinese in particular, would it really be harder for their cyber army to hack one of the other many databases?

As pointed out in the Wired article, they are already hacking bunches of databases not located in China, and infiltrating companies.

...

Nor, why China is singled out when the US government can get user data from any US tech company with a National Security Letter and no oversight.

Maybe China is singled out because of their pervasive hacking and industrial espionage. Its also a little tit for tat in terms of this is how they treat our companies that want to operate within China. I'm not saying this is good policy. But I have no sympathy for China nor am I going to be up in arms about them being treated unfairly by any administrations policy. Trump has been completely ham handed and flip-floppy in his handling of China but being tough on China is one area where I haven't criticized his goals but his methods often suck.

[TheDrake]

Those are great reasons for better data privacy laws. But why should I be more worried about TikTok than Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Google, etc? Even if I'm worried about the Chinese in particular, would it really be harder for their cyber army to hack one of the other many databases?

As pointed out in the Wired article, they are already hacking bunches of databases not located in China, and infiltrating companies.

...

Nor, why China is singled out when the US government can get user data from any US tech company with a National Security Letter and no oversight.

Maybe China is singled out because of their pervasive hacking and industrial espionage. Its also a little tit for tat in terms of this is how they treat our companies that want to operate within China. I'm not saying this is good policy. But I have no sympathy for China nor am I going to be up in arms about them being treated unfairly by any administrations policy. Trump has been completely ham handed and flip-floppy in his handling of China but being tough on China is one area where I haven't criticized his goals but his methods often suck.

I'm not weeping for China, or even necessarily for Chinese companies (hint, they will do just fine even if they lose the US market). I'm weeping because we should be concerned about our own companies handling sensitive data, our own government pressuring companies to hand over that data. I'm also weeping for myself, because I'm a TikTok user and its data collection is far more innocuous than some of the others I mentioned. The Chinese don't want or care about MY data, so let me make the decision to use it or not - I thought that's what freedom was about? If I were a government official, I would not have it installed. But then, I'd have an entirely separate device with no apps on it for official business. Likewise if I were in the other mentioned risk groups. In fact, I have a dedicated device for even my company connectivity to email, etc. More because I'm concerned about my company getting access to my personal data than the other way around.

[yossarian22c]

I'm not weeping for China, or even necessarily for Chinese companies (hint, they will do just fine even if they lose the US market). I'm weeping because we should be concerned about our own companies handling sensitive data, our own government pressuring companies to hand over that data.

I would be happy with GDPR type regulations in the US as well. At this point if we just adopted the exact same protections it wouldn't put a huge additional cost onto companies because they are already having to comply in Europe they just have to make all those safeguards apply to Americans as well.