[lagichikool]

The best solution to TikTok would seem to be for the responsible parties, such as Google and Apple, to add a warning message to apps believed to be controlled by governments. The same way Google already does with YouTube channels.

And for journalists and the government to investigate suspected ties and announce their findings loudly, so that people can make an informed choice.

But actually banning the app, even though it would be a good thing for users, seems like a fraught choice for a free country.

[ZoomerCretin]

>The same way Google already does with YouTube channels.

In theory this sounds nice, but in practice it has a very pro-western bias.

For example:

Under BBC videos, the warning is "BBC is a British public broadcast service."

Under NPR videos, the warning is "NPR is an American public broadcast service."

Under CGTN videos, the warning is "CGTN is funded in whole or in part by the Chinese government."

The BBC and NPR are also "funded in whole in part by the [UK/US] government", yet it comes with a much nicer warning.

[Dah00n]

This doesn't work very well when the entity adding the warning is heavily biased.