[babypuncher]

Why ban TikTok by name and not by legislating away the specific bad things it does? I don't see anything in this legislation that would affect Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, both of which are using their own engagement-focused algorithm for recommending content. If being addicting is the reason we don't like TikTok, then why are we OK with it when a domestic company does it?

Because Facebook lobbyists don't want that, they just want to eliminate the competition.

We don't need to regulate TikTok, we need to regulate Social Media as a whole.

[kube-system]

This legislation does not ban TikTok by name. It:

> [prohibits] all transactions from any social media company in, or under the influence of, China, Russia, and several other foreign countries of concern.

(After a quick read of the bill, it sounds like it may also ban VK. Although, it is already sanctioned.)

[LarryMullins]

Check page 4. This legislation provides a list of companies which are social media companies. TikTok, Bytedance and any company that may be owned by either of those are the companies listed.

What other social media companies from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela might they have explicitly listed as a social media company? There are probably some.. maybe Yandex has some social media? WeChat? Regardless, only TikTok/Bytedance are explicitly named as examples. Obviously they have it in for TikTok specifically.

[kube-system]

Of course, TikTok is clearly the impetus for the bill. My point is that it isn't a bill that only applies to TikTok.

[blsapologist42]

On page 7-8 they explain how "social media company" is defined. It's common for laws to have some examples along with the general rule. It doesn't mean it only applies to TikTok.

[jzmorganchase]

Because the biggest concern is still Chinese ownership of US customer data. Not just the addictive features within the app.

[LarryMullins]

> Because the biggest concern is still Chinese ownership of US customer data.

This legislation doesn't ban all Chinese government controlled apps that users might share their data with, only those that are social media specifically. If users cannot view content generated by other users, then it isn't social media and isn't banned by this bill. If the app doesn't sell digital advertising space, then it isn't social media (according to this bill) and isn't banned.

A Chinese government "backup app" that lets you upload all your documents to a server in China would presumably not be banned by this bill because it lacks those social media features. Maybe it would be banned by another law, but not this one. Or consider a Chinese "keyboard app", that logs everything you type. That's not social media, so this bill doesn't ban it.

[jzmorganchase]

Ok what’s your point?

[LarryMullins]

That this is not the real motivation of the bill: "the biggest concern is still Chinese ownership of US customer data."

The bill doesn't address Chinese ownership of US customer data. The bill is specifically about social media, and doesn't apply generally to other Chinese companies that also suck up US customer data.

[posterboy]

It would be a tough sell. Think of the children works so much better.

Yet you admitted, another kind of services would "presumably not be banned by this bill because it lacks those social media features. Maybe it would be banned by another law, ..." which is in agreement with comments saying that this bill is targeted at Tik Tok.

The irony is that the pedagogic aspect is secondary if those comments are right, but because data which documents how much the people are lacking impulse control is at ridiculous levels, if I am projecting myself for a second. The why you don't face book and study meme applies.

[LarryMullins]

Basically, I don't think these US legislators are (as of yet) serious about combating the privacy and national security concerns centered around foreign apps. They're mad about TikTok specifically, probably because their own children have been watching/producing cringe on TikTok specifically.

[babypuncher]

I'm not any more comfortable with Facebook owning that data than the Chinese government. We've already seen the harm that comes from that.

[jzmorganchase]

Ok...so the solution is to allow China to own the data and not more closely regulate how data is stored and used at any social media company that stores US customer data?

[worik]

Unless you are of Chinese extraction, with relatives still in China, and are politically active.

Not a small group, and a very vulnerable group.