TikTok and WeChat downloads in US stop on Sunday

[bcla]

https://apnews.com/a439ead01b75fc958c722daf40f9307c

 

[RamblingMad]

This is going to make a lot of people mad. It’s one thing to say buy American. It’s another to not allow you to buy stuff that’s not American.

 

[LuvOrlando]

It's not about buying American, this issue is about privacy and the fact that people are finally realizing that laws in the US simply are not laws in other countries so what is illegal here may be perfectly legal elsewhere. The EU, and Germany in particular, is staggeringly far ahead with acting to protect privacy.

Saw something recently that stuck with me and put it succinctly:
"It it looks free and you can't tell what's for sale then you are the thing for sale."

I thought this was going to a forced sale to guarantee compliance? If they shut it down instead there is an opportunity to resurrect the tech with a different name under friendlier conditions but if it is sold the tech becomes defined and controllable under a new umbrella. Crafty

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, I can understand that there are privacy issues and I am all for making them be transparent about how one's data may be used. Still, if someone agrees to it, then that is their decision. I don't use any of the services under scrutiny, but I think a ban is extreme.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I'm not going to pretend to understand this, but I heard on the news this am that the people in China use WeChat for everything, much as many of us use Google and all of its apps here. I hear complaints and concerns all the time about what Google and Facebook are doing (or could be doing) with our data we so freely give them here - why would you trust a company in China with that same sort of data?

 

[RogueX]

Sorry, this is pretending to be concerned about people's privacy. However, when there were the 2 data breaches of personnel files in the Office of Personnel management in the government, they said to everyone affected "sorry, here's some monitoring for your troubles, but we're not at fault for the breaches". Well, my biometric data, ss #, dob, addresses for several years and basically everything to make an identity theifs dream come true was included in those files. If the government cared about people's privacy, they might atleast try to atleast encrypt their employees personal information. They still haven't.

 

[RamblingMad]

Yeah, I can understand that there are privacy issues and I am all for making them be transparent about how one's data may be used. Still, if someone agrees to it, then that is their decision. I don't use any of the services under scrutiny, but I think a ban is extreme.

If it’s really about privacy, ban all social media. People freely put themselves out there.

 

[BrianL]

If it’s really about privacy, ban all social media. People freely put themselves out there.

Exactly. I can totally understand requiring a privacy disclosure, but at the end of the day it's on the users if they want to give away their data.

 

[RamblingMad]

Exactly. I can totally understand requiring a privacy disclosure, but at the end of the day it's on the users if they want to give away their data.

And if privacy was a big deal, more people would be using Signal and Duck Duck Go.

 

[disneypharm]

Sorry, this is pretending to be concerned about people's privacy. However, when there were the 2 data breaches of personnel files in the Office of Personnel management in the government, they said to everyone affected "sorry, here's some monitoring for your troubles, but we're not at fault for the breaches". Well, my biometric data, ss #, dob, addresses for several years and basically everything to make an identity theifs dream come true was included in those files. If the government cared about people's privacy, they might atleast try to atleast encrypt their employees personal information. They still haven't.

I totally agree with you. I am sure a bunch of kids adding their dance moves to the site is more dangerous for our privacy than all the other social media platforms and data breaches of companies!! How is this any different than some 3rd world countries banning the use of internet or social platforms (which there are some) because they want to control people's use?!

 

[MillauFr]

The privacy reasons are complete nonsense. The US privacy laws are pretty weak and ineffectual. All of the big tech companies sell most of your data to anyone who is willing to pay. Including the Chinese.

 

[RamblingMad]

I totally agree with you. I am sure a bunch of kids adding their dance moves to the site is more dangerous for our privacy than all the other social media platforms and data breaches of companies!! How is this any different than some 3rd world countries banning the use of internet or social platforms (which there are some) because they want to control people's use?!

And I thought we were against this behavior. The Great Wall of America.

 

[VandVsmama]

Good riddance. Don't care.

 

[godisney14]

I'm not going to pretend to understand this, but I heard on the news this am that the people in China use WeChat for everything, much as many of us use Google and all of its apps here. I hear complaints and concerns all the time about what Google and Facebook are doing (or could be doing) with our data we so freely give them here - why would you trust a company in China with that same sort of data?

So, when are FB and ABC going to be banned?

Good riddance. Don't care.

Then why good riddance if you never cared for nor even used it?

 

[RamblingMad]

Wait for it. When will China ban US social media companies? This isn’t going to end well.

 

[LuvOrlando]

That's the thing about this standing out, if there have been so many flagrant breeches what makes this different? Plainly, something is up and that is the part that gets my attention. When my dog starts barking or sniffing at the door I go look to see what it is he is seeing or hearing that I can't and even if I don't notice anything myself I trust his senses might be better than mine and double check the locks .

 

[PaulaSB12]

Considering the Chinese serveillance software being banned is to be expected do you really want your data going to the Chinese considering what they are doing to. tibet and the muslim camps

 

[okeydokey]

This isn't about privacy, it's about someone getting their feelings hurt. Facebook is a terrible protector of privacy but there is no talk about banning that in the US.

 

[SaintsManiac]

This isn't about privacy, it's about someone getting their feelings hurt. Facebook is a terrible protector of privacy but there is no talk about banning that in the US.

It's about something even more powerful than hurt feelings: Money.

 

[VandVsmama]

So, when are FB and ABC going to be banned?

<insert sarcasm> Next Friday 12:00 pm Eastern time. </end sarcasm>