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“TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk due to its extensive data harvesting being combined with Beijing’s apparently unchecked access to that sensitive data.” – Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

This is true.

Now replace TikTok with Facebook, Snapchat, <insert Silicon Valley Big Tech corporation or startup here> and Beijing with Washington, DC and…

This is also true.

🤔

blog.malwarebytes.com/privacy-…

#peopleFarming #surveillanceCapitalism #BigTech #humanRights #democracy

in reply to Aral Balkan

This is very much true with most of the Social Media platforms. Still, without a more secured and privacy-centered alternative, it will be just the same old story - big companies collecting data without consent and making bucks from it.
in reply to Aral Balkan

Come to #Freenet, right now, break the ring!
freenetproject.org

We also have video, but no way to track what you watch. And 3 minute videos are just right.

in reply to Aral Balkan

Any FOSS alternative to SnapChat? I been trying to find 1
in reply to Aral Balkan

The hypocrisy is astounding. If anone doesn't think the federal government has tapped all internet traffic for the last 15 years, they have their heads in the sand.
in reply to Aral Balkan

"national security risk"?? 🤔 Oh what a bullshit... Just another try to sink another site so centralized medias can survive and control everything.... Or maybe chance for #goldfish by @stux to replace #TikTok 😆 Why not
in reply to Abid

ShitTok is reaaally toxic with its Chinese owner..! The gov can request data from anyone they like in China from companies so yess it IS a HUGE security risk!
in reply to jaryl

You’re missing the point. The problem isn’t the Chinese owner. The problem is the surveillance and the data gathered and that other people have it and will use it against you. For TikTok, it’s the people who run TikTok and the Chinese government (and yes, the Chinese government is about as problematic as it gets but that’s not the point here because so is every government to one degree or other). For Facebook it’s Zuck & co. and the US government, etc., etc., etc.
in reply to Abid

Not bullshit at all. Again, however, consider that if the US considers TikTok a security risk. What should we (in Europe and elsewhere) be considering Facebook, SnapChat, etc.
in reply to Aral Balkan

😂🤣😂 The same thing happens all the time in my country, the United States 🇺🇸! I dislike the government of China 🇨🇳, but at least they are not hypocritical about harvesting corporate user data.

The USA “righteously” accuses other nations of committing the same sins America regularly practices.

Example: USA 🇺🇸 accuses Russia 🇷🇺 of illegally occupying Ukraine 🇺🇦, but the USA 🇺🇸 illegally occupies the Chagos Archipelago in Mauritius 🇲🇺.

bbc.com/news/world-africa-5459…

in reply to Aral Balkan

I appreciate you trying to flip the context, but none of the social networks are accessible by mere mortals in China. And perhaps that’s your point, but is putting up walls and using China as an example the answer?
Perhaps what you intended was to suggest that government should stay out of the social network data pools, but I think we’ve seen what happens when big tech companies have unfettered access to users. It becomes a free for all of exploitation and manipulation for profit.
So where’s the balance here? I think the EU is on the right path putting citizen rights first, generally speaking. The implantation may be a little ham fisted at this time but it will get better.
The answer, as I see it, is not found in extremism allowing or banning all access, but a balanced approach determined by *good* governance.
Now, what does good look like to you?
in reply to Aral Balkan

knowing that the same wrong is done in the US does not right, or even negate the wrong being done by TikTok/China.

End it everywhere.
No data collection without clear, opt in language and workflows

No selling or exposure of data without additional clear language, expressed, opt in.

in reply to Aral Balkan

We have fantastic choices these days! I'm actually overwhelmed.

Should I let the Americans, the Chinese or the Russians spy on me?

Ohhh I dunno I'll just go for all three!!1

in reply to Aral Balkan

Although, TikTok is still worse as the app contains the ability to download and execute arbitrary code on the device.. The others may be spyware, but TikTok is a trojan...