Trump Backs Elon Musk as Possible TikTok Buyer, Suggests Government Stake

[WarmWinterHat]

The problem is not social media but the fact that they can be so easily bought and manipulated by billionaires.

Fortunately, there is bluesky which is at least built to be billionaire resistant (although not billionaire proof). I suggest everyone that wants to connect with decent, intelligent, and interest human beings to head over there.

Blue Sky doesn't really help for those of us who use social media to keep in touch and view/like/interact with family and friends, specifically, without sharing and viewing the entire world. I use social media, but nothing is public, and I don't follow (or am followed by) anyone I don't personally know.

We're running out of options.

 

[anshuvorty]

As everyone knows, the most valuable aspect of TT is its algorithm. If Musk buys it, like Twitter, it will start losing viewers FAST, and anyone of any significance on the platform, will flee to Instagram.

Just watch it happen…

 

[DrJR]

Think this headline actually burying the lede. Trump wants the government to own 50%? Was not aware government ownership of private companies was a well known conservative principle here in the US.

It is when national security is an issue.

 

[DrJR]

What a smooth operator. The art of the deal, indeed!

 

[Colpeas]

Dear friends in the US, enjoy your freedoms while they last. Trump has us worried on the other side of the great pond too.

 

[ELman]

If TikTok gets sold to Elon, just about every single major social media company is then controlled by billionaire tech bros who are all kissing Trump's ring and have proven willing to do just about anything he asks (i.e. demands).

The goal seems to be to have power to control speech and amplify/suppress whatever they want to amplify/suppress.

Not concerning at all. Nothing to worry about. What could possibly go wrong.

But it's alright that the television and newspapers are primary controlled by left wing organizations.

 

[MRrainer]

This would be a very interesting social experiment.
I'm glad I'm neither much invested in X nor invested in TikTok at all, so I can just watch this from the outside.

Maybe people will buy more newspapers again or at least switch off their phones from time to time and read a book....that would actually be a positive outcome.

 

[ELman]

Trump is no conservative.

Correct, he is a populist

 

[lyngo]

Or another platform to ruin? Not that I love Tik Tok.. but Twitter has gone down the drain...

I agree, but even before Elon got involved with Twitter it was already going down the drain.

 

[CapitalIdea]

Think this headline actually burying the lede. Trump wants the government to own 50%? Was not aware government ownership of private companies was a well known conservative principle here in the US.

Trump’s got no principles (aside from principal).

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I agree, but even before Elon got involved with Twitter it was already going down the drain.

Twitter never crawled out the drain. It sucked from day 1.

 

[charlesdayton]

If TikTok gets sold to Elon, just about every single major social media company is then controlled by billionaire tech bros who are all kissing Trump's ring and have proven willing to do just about anything he asks (i.e. demands).

The goal seems to be to have power to control speech and amplify/suppress whatever they want to amplify/suppress.

Not concerning at all. Nothing to worry about. What could possibly go wrong.

Perfectly said.
but it’s ass not ring.

 

[CptnJustc]

I've never been an "every billionaire is a policy mistake" kind of guy, but now that Musk bought himself into government, has become even more unfathomably wealthy, is getting all kinds of policies bent his way and may now be even further dominating the public square -- on top of the cabinet being stocked full of billionaires and centimillionaires, the obsequiousness of the tech billionaires, Trump himself and especially his memecoin, etc. etc. -- it's turning pretty clear that they may simply be too incompatible with democracy.

 

[Krizoitz]

But it's alright that the television and newspapers are primary controlled by left wing organizations.

Well since that isn’t now nor never has been true it doesn’t really matter.

 

[wanha]

But it's alright that the television and newspapers are primary controlled by left wing organizations.

It sounds like you feel there are points you feel have been repressed or under-represented in media.

Curious to hear if this is so and what would those be?

 

[wanha]

But it's alright that the television and newspapers are primary controlled by left wing organizations.

Is this really so?

Right wing owned media:

Fox News - owned by billionaire Murdoch

WaPo - owned by billionaire Bezos

Wall Street Journal - owned by billionaire Murdoch

New York Post - owned by Murdoch


Centrist media (i.e. not left or right):

AP

Reuters

USA Today

NPR

PBS

Politico

The Hill


I don't know about you, but based on the above, it sure doesn't seem that media in the US is "primarily controlled by left wing organization" as you assert

 

[DavidLeblond]

If the government ends up having a stake and Elon does what he does on Twitter where he starts banning accounts that he disagrees with him, wouldn't that count as a literal violation of free speech?

 

[CptnJustc]

The problem is not social media but the fact that they can be so easily bought and manipulated by billionaires.

Fortunately, there is bluesky which is at least built to be billionaire resistant (although not billionaire proof). I suggest everyone that wants to connect with decent, intelligent, and interest human beings to head over there.

Yeah, for now. We'll see how long that lasts now that Mr. X is in government and he/the government might be sharing TikTok. Wouldn't be surprised if Bluesky starts falling under some heavy regulatory scrutiny...

 

[Will Co]

Well what a surprise. This is exactly what I suggested would happen in my reply to a post of a couple of days ago. A quick buck for The Musk. You can only wonder what goes on behind closed doors between the two of them.

 

[arkmannj]

That doesn’t sound like a conflict of interest at all…

 

[Gix1k]

Sell to the US or it can't be used here....Ridiculous!

 

[Edsel]

How much damage can be done until...

How many days until Election Day in US?

Count down every day to Election Day in US, with your own customizable countdown clock.

days.to

 

[FSMBP]

Blue Sky doesn't really help for those of us who use social media to keep in touch and view/like/interact with family and friends, specifically, without sharing and viewing the entire world. I use social media, but nothing is public, and I don't follow (or am followed by) anyone I don't personally know.

We're running out of options.

I hear you but genuine interactions can happen via phone-call/text/email. I don't have social media - so I have organic conversations with my friends and family.

15 years ago it was this way...don't get FOMO for not posting your life online.

 

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

Unfortunately there is no way to interact with tech right now without politics being part of the conversation. Apathy is a major contributing factor to why he won. More people didn’t vote then the number of votes either candidate received

Source?? Also @foobarbaz, source for the tik tok emptying one of his rallies??….

 

[TechRunner]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the 170 million U.S. users number. The population is about 335 million, so roughly half the population uses TikTok? I find that hard to believe. There must be a healthy percentage of users with multiple accounts.