I agree privacy bills need to be passed. 100%. One of the main reasons I am typing this here instead of Reddit. I’m just pointing out this is far from just an unprovoked action. There isn’t enough talk in this debate about the host of messed up shit being done to America by China (and Russia)in the digital space. Cyber attacks are at all time high. It sucks Tik tok is getting banned, but privacy laws aren’t also being rolled out. It’s also true that China is indeed using Tiktok’s data maliciously. Both things can be true. My statement was to point out it’s not JUST a cash grab by social media companies, China is also a real threat and that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Comment on Senate passes TikTok ban bill, sending it to Biden, who has already committed to signing it
AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today 6 months agoChina doesn’t need TikTok to do any of that, including the data collection. They can just get it from data brokers (either by purchasing or stealing it). Because guess what? Data collection and/or sale of said data to foreign countries wasn’t made illegal with this bill.
WhatsThePoint@lemmy.world 6 months ago
AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today 6 months ago
It’s not really a ban though, it’s a forced sale. Cyber attacks come from more than just China, and there are more companies selling data to China than just TikTok. I also see (and protect against) cyber attacks every day at my job.
WhatsThePoint@lemmy.world 6 months ago
I thought the forced sale was trying to get it to be able to stay around because a ban was so unpopular while accomplishing the same goal of breaking China’s access to the algorithm. They tried the Oracle housing but Byte Dance kept giving access to engineers with ties to the CCP. Either way, I just get an overall vibe in this debate that China isn’t a big threat and I think that’s a mistake. Not saying you specifically but the discourse that I have read across many posts.
AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today 6 months ago
I mean, you are correct that a complete ban is unpopular. But I don’t think that’s the exclusive reason the forced sale was provided as an option. TikTok (and the data on it) is super valuable. Someone will most likely buy it, and the data collection and foreign sale (or theft) will continue.
China is a threat, and so are the data brokers. This benefits US-based data brokers, but does it really benefit the individual citizen? I personally don’t think so, at least not from a data collection and personal privacy perspective.
Maggoty@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Keeps? I’ve seen one documented instance and it’s literally a headcount for engagement hacking.
WhatsThePoint@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Reading the bill further - it does mention the banning of the sale of America data to foreign adversaries enforceable by the FCC. That language does sound like a ban on data brokers selling to China too. It will be difficult to enforce with shell corporations and non-adversary countries who may partner with Chinese companies, but the language seems to be there. Be interesting to see how this plays out.
AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today 6 months ago
Indeed.
Kalysta@lemm.ee 6 months ago
Foreign adversaries. What’s to stop them from selling to an ally and the ally re-selling that data?
If they’re this concerned they need to ban data brokers in general. And enforce those bans.
Maggoty@lemmy.world 6 months ago
That was already a law. Facebook is being sued for it right now by the government after getting caught doing it multiple times over the last 15ish years.