FCC Commissioner Calls for Apple and Google to Ban TikTok Over 'Surreptitious' Data Practices

[CarAnalogy]

I would like to see them ban Captcha! I would like to have them ban websites like IMDB instituting/having an 'account requirement', after being 'free' for years. I'd like to have them ban autostarting content. I'd like to see them reign in companies having apps vacuum cookies and other data from my systems.

These used to be called ‘dark patterns’ and is now (probably more accurately) called “deceptive design.”

And yeah I’d love to see some of these grandstanding congress-people actually call these companies out for it. They have the power to summon these executives for questioning and they never ask the right questions or do anything about it.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

This is the only time I have ever seen this phrase upvoted.

And like a lot of things he did, he wasn’t wrong but he went about it in a ham-fisted way and of course got a lot of pushback from all sides.

I’d like to see Biden take the Chinese seriously but it seems he’s distracted with other things.

Exactly because at the time he was pushing back at many websites and CNN/MSNBC, etc, claiming they weren't being fair to him. He obscured the reason for blocking them through his constant tantrums over not being worshiped. Sad.

Was he right? Yes, but not for the likely reason he did it. *shrug* Moving on...

 

[jimbobb24]

So this was a big joke when Trump admin did this…is it still a big joke? Looks like a bipartisan concern now with two administrations concerned about TikTok.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Pretty sure it was more about china using it as a spy surveillance tool and a danger to national security which many other articles have been written saying the samething hence the need for the data to be held on American servers and china not having access to. But if you still want trump to live rent free in your head that’s not my problem

And Peter Theil was using Facebook for nearly the same thing! I do remember that, about China, but it was another tantrum that obscured things...

Maybe TikTok should be banned, but there are far more that are supported that are worse, IMO...

 

[JosephAW]

I forget, someone was trying to warn us about them.

 

[jimbobb24]

I'm saying that at the time he was banning TikTok, he was in a snit about expanding libel laws to allow him to sue 'anyone' that criticized him. TikTok appeared to be a target of his because of the many users there skewering him.

It became, at that point, another tantrum he was throwing becasue people didn't love him. In some reports, it overshadowed any security reason for blocking them. Especially when Facebook was just as dangerous to user security.

“In some reports”
=
Psychic news sources I read that favor my opinion.

Maybe it was just what they stated was the reason - the administration was concerned about data. I don’t know enough about this to have an opinion except if two administrations are concerned they may be on to something.

 

[matrix07]

LOL. This is funny. Given that people got mad when TikTok was "supposed" to be banned in the US a few years back but now want it gone

I wanted it gone then. I want it gone now. It’s just too stupid to think a Chinese company won’t comply to Chinese communist party demand, no matter how they ”convince” us otherwise.

just-shut-it-down.

Next, DJI drones, please..

 

[Zaren]

So you’re anti trump not pro TikTok

 

[macdisciple]

First, I'm 60 and TikTok is entertaining as hell. I am facinated how people are using it quite well to tell stories.

Second, someone clarify what specific data is collected that I need to give a shiite about since my data is already all over the Internet. My location? I don't care. My employer? I don't care. My marital status? I don't care. My salary? I work for the state, anyone can look up my salary on the Internet. What is the line that should not be crossed? Legit question. Thanks.

 

[SBlue1]

Wow it makes me wonder how old all those people here are who say its rotting kids brains and stealing time and energy. Like my parents telling me I am wasting too much time if front of a computer. Same energy.

Let kids decide by themselves what they want to waste time for. Be it watching hours of sports, YouTube videos or playing Playstation.

 

[macdisciple]

Not sure about banning, but it is rotting younger brains!

Maybe. But I remember watching the Brady Bunch, F-Troop, Alice, and other garbage on television for a couple of hours every day. So whatever. Plus there is a LOT of educational and interesting content on TikTok for me like home inspection adivice, or plumbing, or woodworking. Not to mention a lot of cute pet dog, cat, donkey, goose, stories to put a smile on my face.

 

[DC Wallaby]

I think the executive order method was flawed and lost in court. Using the FCC is a more appropriate venue for such a battle and may be more effective.

Bingo! As with many policies and executive orders under the previous administration, they took the approach of “Just do it and ignore the legal process and the consequences.“ There are dozens of court cases that the White House lost where the judge basically said, “There’s a legal process to accomplish this exact thing, and you ignored that process, so I have to rule against you.”

Also, for the “oh, it was done to keep us safe!” people, just remember: the previous administration did not call on TikTok to be banned until almost immediately after teens and K-pop fans on TikTok coordinated the “sabotage” of the previous president’s June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

As for the “rotting childrens’ brains” argument … I will say that TikTok and other short-form entertainment like YouTube has resulted in a dangerous decrease in attention spans and mental stamina, and screen addiction is a very real thing. But the blame does not fall squarely on TikTok, as these trends began well before the app was a thing.

 

[usasalazar]

I had heard that the TikTok algorithm in china rewards videos that are information and substantive, while in the US the algorithm rewards videos that are silly and meaningless.

 

[FaustsHausUK]

lets ban tiktok for how stupid it makes people. is there such a thing as an intelligent tiktok user?

I am a Principal Software Engineer for a financial technology company. I doomscroll TikTok to unwind. Through it, I have found other technologists, learned DIY skills, discovered recipes and much more. It’s fine to not see the utility in an app for yourself, but blanket statements founded in your own biases say more about you.

 

[skippermonkey]

They should have listened to Trump. And yes please ban this stupid app.

No-one should listen to Trump. Ever.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

The man was right on many things including this one and oil prices.

Everyone is right on many things. That doesn't make them Jesus and it certainly doesn't qualify them to run the most powerful country on earth. On the other hand, he was wrong on more things than most people. Really wrong. Wrong to the point that he was probably a top Tik-Tok watcher.

 

[jonnyb098]

TikTok is poison. But when “influencers” are invited to the white a house I have little hope that it will ever be banned. Plus there’s too much money in it even at the expense of kids. PLUS a certain political party will never punish China for anything sooooo yeah! Fun times!

 

[LeadingHeat]

Interesting that the current administration has completely 180’d on this and is now pushing to have it blocked. I wonder what finally pushed the needle on this issue?

 

[Rudy69]

Won’t the FCC be the first to complain google and apple have a monopoly on mobile devices though?

I mean I agree TikTok needs to go but….

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Interesting that the current administration has completely 180’d on this and is now pushing to have it blocked. I wonder what finally pushed the needle on this issue?

Doesn't the first sentence in the article answer that?

 

[Psychicbob]

Interesting that the current administration has completely 180’d on this and is now pushing to have it blocked. I wonder what finally pushed the needle on this issue?

Probably because it’s the right thing to do, and has been all along. They just opposed it because of who it was that wanted to block it originally. Now it’s them doing it, it’s all of a sudden, ok. As Mark Twain said, if voting did any good, they would have banned it!

 

[FaustsHausUK]

I certainly understand data privacy concerns with regards to China, but US companies are no better. Rather than reactionary banning of individual apps, we need legislators to pass bills that ban and adequately punish all aggressive collection and misuse of data.

Every company we interact with digitally - from ISPs, to smart devices, to apps, to web sites - is collecting vast troves of data on us every day, then selling it on to whoever might find it useful. We’re manipulated into buying products, taking certain political positions, voting a certain way, and hating aspects of our lives constantly by these people. And frankly, there is more evidence of the Meta group of products doing all of this than anyone else.

I’m sure we’re all tired of those “accept cookies?” pop-ups, but GDPR is doing more in this regard than any other measure. It should be truly global, automatically accepted as a condition of membership to the UN.

 

[nwcs]

Considering all the leaks that have been revealed in recent years and who knows how many that haven’t been disclosed one should assume all of one’s personal data is available everywhere. Besides, even if not immediately available via direct means it can be purchased by one of many data aggregators out there. The horse has left the barn, it isn’t coming back.

 

[Koudspeel]

Food for thought: How will they ban apps like TikTok once multiple App Stores are forced upon iOS due to monopoly accusations?

 

[Enlightened Doggo]

Our govt makes national security decisions based solely on Buzzfeed reporting... Incredible.