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ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in US if legal options fail, sources say (www.reuters.com)

submitted 6 months ago by misk@sopuli.xyz to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] vinniep@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Either tiktok becomes an American company or leaves… Ah, the free market has spoken

People keep saying this and I'm struggling to understand where this idea is coming from. The bill isn't saying that they have to sell TikTok to a US company. They don't have to sell it to the US government, or an owner in the US. Just divorce the company from explicit control by the Chinese government. Currently, the government can request any data they want from TikTok and they are obligated to provided it. Similarly, business laws in China mean that the government can also push changes down into the company, like a tweak to the algorithm to influence foreign perceptions of a topic for example.

The requirements laid out in this bill are meant to break that obligation and influence. It doesn't say who should own the company - only who shouldn't.

[–] exanime@lemmy.today 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Currently, the government can request any data they want from TikTok and they are obligated to provided it.

You mean exactly like all big tech in the USA?

[–] fruitycoder@sh.itjust.works -2 points 6 months ago

They have get a warrent to force getting data and I know of no legal obligation for platforms to change algorithms to promote or demote content. Even the twitter files showed that twitter employees voluntarily agreed to work with federal departments, but had no obligations to

[–] TheFriar@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

This is important for people to understand.

I’m definitely of the opinion that this sort of treatment should be applied to other companies (the actual enforcement of “wellbeing” changes) and that this act is purely selfish when other tech companies are clearly abusing their users, but I also think it’s good to at least start here. I think this sort of uneven hand is shitty, but I see why the US govt would go this route.

I just wish user health was a higher priority than healthy profits. But that’s just not the case. By a long shot.