11mo ago

ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say

www.ctvnews.ca ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say

TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.

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Somebody's gonna make a federated TikTok, aren't they? We're gonna have TikTokers flooding the Fediverse. We're so fucked.
- That should happen regardless. The main issue with tiktok is not the concept, it's the recommendation algorithm and the agenda behind it.
- I don't actually have any qualms with that. Power to the people!
  In reality though there a planned executive order to forcing Know Your Customer rules on all US web hosts and Internet architecture, so if you're planning on hosting a fediverse server in the US, the US government will need to know your identity.
  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/01/29/2024-01580/taking-additional-steps-to-address-the-national-emergency-with-respect-to-significant-malicious
  
  land of the free btw
- @crispyflagstones @yogthos Someone is named @dansup who also created @pixelfed, the app is called Loops, you can follow his progress here: @loops
- Video support could be a "killer app" on threads to embrace and extinguish the fediverse.
- https://loops.video/
- If that becomes the case and you don't want to see it, block it. Easy enough.
- Well there’s PeerTube and PixelFed. Perhaps a few will try it, but mostly I think they”ll go to other corporate American platforms like Instagram.
  
  I figured most would just go to YouTube shorts

I’m still confused on how they enforce this
- I'd assume they'll tell ISPs to block TikTok's domains/IPs. It won't stop determined people but it's realistically the best they can do.
  
  @LostXOR @yogthos @NoIWontPickAName @technology There's a few other steps they could potentially take.
  The first would be to block any financial institution in the US, or that deals with the US, from sending any payments to or from ByteDance's accounts.
  They could also freeze any assets currently held by US financial institutions.
  Second, if they can get Apple, Microsoft, and Google on board to help do their bidding, they could pull the ByteDance app from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
  That includes removing it from any apps where it's already installed. Globally.
  They could also request that TikTok is removed from Google and Bing search results.
  On top of this, they could do what you suggested, and ask ISPs and mobile carriers to block domains and IP addresses used by ByteDance.
  And the US could apply diplomatic pressure on other countries to implement similar financial and ISP-level blocks and bans.
  So, potentially, it's also blocked in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and elsewhere.
  
  Making any major social media service mildly inconvenient will kill it.
- They have the app stores ban it from being downloaded if you are in the USA. This is already done, and app stores aren't affected by on device VPNs, so it wouldn't be that easy to get around.
  For example, you can't download this app since (I'm guessing) you live in the USA, similar enough. It's geolocked. Same will happen with Tiktok.

Please, PLEASE, let this be the case.
- I think there's a zero chance China would allow the sale. Imagine the precedent giving into such mob tactics would set. US could just go after any successful Chinese company doing business in US and demand that it's sold off to American oligarchs.
  
  Exactly, this asset is worth nothing to the CPP if sold.
  If it was a fully private company which is supposed to make money, they would sell it and move on to invest their money somewhere else.
  Regulating the market is important and is not done enough in the US, last time was decades ago with AT&T and Standard Oil. Today they should have broken up Apple, Google, Amazon, etc. To prevent monopolies but they don't.
  But yeah, politically it's much easier to go after a Chinese company.

They are not giving up the algorithm, simple as that.

This is purely about subversive influence on the vulnerable and easily influenced people who use the platform, not about money.
- What will they influence American youths to do? Not support genocide?
- “subversive influence” 😂
  
  Laugh all you like. I’m not some McCarthy-era anti-commie witch Hunter.
  I do however recognise the determination of both China and Russia (neither communist) to undermine whatever foundations are left of US democracy.

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