TikTok Ban: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

[@laalaa99stl]

From the part of the show HBO didn't upload: "Luckily all our environmental laws are older than 18 years, so Rep. Gaetz shouldn't have much interest in them."

[@zeta0590]

​@raymondkassay3610 Lets deregulate America till people cannot afford milk🎉🎉. MAGA 2024🎉🎉🎉

[@RHCole]

​@@raymondkassay3610And this is why education is vital to a free society. Regulation built modern day America, buddy

[@ian562ADF52E]

​@raymondkassay3610 can't wait for our country to be ran by r*pists, pdf files, and abusers. Protect women and children btw.

[@MissBlueEyeliner]

God that’s grim and hilarious in one go.

[@CRneu]

@@raymondkassay3610 real question: when pill-mill Trump deports millions of americans who harvest our food and do service jobs, who is going to fill those positions? Americans dont want to work on dairies or farms, or do service jobs. unemployment is below 4% anyway. So, who is going to pick/grow our food?

[@masterloard]

For the Singaporean Citizen scene, all I can think of is King of the Hill "So, Mr. Kahn, are you Chinese or Japanese?" "I lived in California for the past 20 years. I'm originally from Laos." ".... huh?" "Laos. We are Laotian." "The ocean? What ocean?" "We are Laotian - from Laos, stupid! It's a land locked country in south east Asia. It's between Vietnam and Thailand, okay? Population 4.7 million" "... soooo, are you Chinese or Japanese?"

[@blueice35270]

🤣🤣For real ! As if they are deaf and only want their intrusive questions on written record as if they are a terrier going after a rat down a tunnel. They don't solve anything. Don't prove anything other than they are total A$$ Hools with no purpose other than to spend taxpayers money investigating anything. I'm surprised they don't ask how money toilet paper each defendant uses per poo.

[@holeinmysoul1]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@igotanM16]

"Yep" "Yep" "Yep" Mmmm-hmmm"

[@Zeroninja-j5c]

I tell you what 😂

[@djdrack4681]

yet he somehow understands boomhower

[@VictoriaFire3]

Food for thought. Rather than just ban 1 app, why not just crack down on what kind of data companies can collect when people use their platform? Helps the American public and solves their concerns. But then again the people currently in office and those just recently elected will never do anything to actually help the American public, let alone take money away from big corporations.

[@RHCole]

But how can we make money off of that? /s

[@derekcoaker6579]

That would fuck up our non spying U.S. Businesses. /s in case. The Hypocrisy is... expected.

[@krombopulos_michael]

Because regardless of privacy regulations, there is no amount of data we should feel comfortable handing directly over to the government, especially the the authoritarian one of a hostile nation.

[@EthanMitch]

​@@krombopulos_michaelYour nation is more hostile to you than China

[@victoriasmith8570]

Well that’s just downright sensible, and we can’t have that!

[@HobbiesGamesChillin]

Seeing an American senator basically shout “YOU ARE A CHINESE” to a Singaporean while being corrected constantly sums up America

[@nourzohar3538]

But there are Singaporean Chinese, not so?

[@HobbiesGamesChillin]

@ yes but after the tenth time someone says “I’m not Chinese I’m from Singapore” and he kept yelling about China I feel it’s just racism or ignorance at that point

[@ernesthill4017]

Most Americans are shockingly ignorant to history and geography, even our own 😔

[@yCantiLogOn]

​@nourzohar3538 legal nationality vs ethnic background

[@farrahupson]

"We've been behind on this issue for an embarrassingly long time" could apply to LOTS of things in the U.S. at this point.

[@spyfire242]

Healthcare comes to mind immediately.

[@moniqueengleman873]

😂😂😂excellent point 👉

[@zoe-lou2522]

Not only the U.S. has these problems.

[@qv43v]

Wah wah so we don't need to do anything about it do we

[@Bitfire31337]

​@@spyfire242Exactly my first thought as a European.

[@leonhartthuesten9695]

As a non-American I find it interesting, how personal data suddenly becomes an issue, once the new trending app is non-american. But what do I know... Hi Google! :)

[@owlbusdumbledork9966]

Our government is so good at using the media to direct public conversation. We're all too distracted and uneducated, and politicians never actually say what they mean, and yet everyone thinks they do, while simultaneously claiming that all the politicians they don't like are lying about everything. It's baffling.

[@ghostlytavern129]

Big brother doesn’t like it when any one else spies on their citizens

[@TheZombieButler]

😂😂😂😂

[@coltonblake13]

For a reason. I'm going to guess it's how they use the data. The data that they collect is literally everything, including keystrokes for everything on every app, including permission to allow those permissions to your devices linked to your profile. So any government employee has allowed them to access the computers and everything on them if they've ever used Tic-Tok on a government device or your government credentials on a private device with Tic-Tok.

[@MrWowh]

Of course in the US its a big deal. It could be weaponized. Other countries should be worried about US companies as well.

[@pallao3500]

Only a good guy with a metaphorical gun can stop a bad guy with a metaphorical gun.

[@jasonsedor5676]

well done, well done

[@williamwhitney7395]

That metaphorical gun better not make me afraid for my families or my life. Cause I don't use fake guns.

[@LunaryxDiarmait]

​@@williamwhitney7395It's not the fake guns fault, though. It didn't know better.

[@BertockLeg]

​@@williamwhitney7395damn... i hope horror movies stear clear

[@pallao3500]

@@catxtrallways How about the location of their children?

[@jessicarenner4451]

This was a great breakdown. This show does a great job of making difficult and nuanced topics more accessible. I was waiting for him to talk about how many of the senators especially the few that created this bill have sooooo many stock shares in meta! Also how the current top investors of the app are American businesses, and how the people who want to buy it are part of the ADL out of Israel! There’s a lot to question around data privacy as he explained very well, but this issue goes incredibly deep into the pockets of US senators!

[@RadioNickWNHS]

Some poor intern had to look up sonic feet and that’s now on his search history forever.

[@bodenking]

They probably have a dedicated computer for the weird searches they have to make. Just don’t look at the ads on webpages, they lost an intern that way

[@thezachman1]

Forget his search history, every time they close their eyes for the rest of their lives, there's a chance Sonic's stinky feet will be there

[@terencehamilton4219]

the intern probably likes sonic feet, dont kink shame.

[@Thorndelwyn]

Those could have come from his own collection. We'd need to ask those big tech to know....

[@Arcella1981]

I would imagine just putting the browser in incognito mode

[@laalaa99stl]

Guy on Fox News calling TikTok junk food for our brains is chef's kiss irony.

[@raghuvarv]

TikTok is junk food for our brains. Fox News is a cigarette with an asbestos filter mesh.

[@0Clewi0]

And lets now hear how they praise that Trump stopped the ban

[@cyro420]

All mainstream media is garbage … fox is the same as msnbc

[@AP-iu2ty]

Don't you guys still believe Russia collusion conspiracies?

[@DoubLL]

I mean... he's right. Ironically so, but still right 😅

[@LilLou97]

23:13 yeah I remember when the PATRIOT Act was just to “Keep Americans safe from terrorists” and then we ended up finding out it was just for the government to SPY on us without a warrant, and the backlash of that being public will always make me laugh. Congress members were screaming safety, safety, safety but most of America was having non of it

[@Raelven]

The real purpose... Keep the IRS safe from missing out on American money. 🤣

[@leadpaintchips9461]

What do you mean most of America was having none of it? It's still, in practical terms, in effect. It lasted 19 years before not being renewed, but all the infrastructure is still there.

[@drgskates]

Yeah, I'm sick of this, "You kids don't know what's good for you. Let us make all the decisions for you." Like they're [Congress, i.e. bought officials by lobbyists] our fucking parents, and we're [millennials, gen z, and younger] fucking 3 years old. You [Congress] educated us, and now you're regretting *how much* you educated us.

[@bradleylignoski6887]

The difference is we live in a democracy with durable mechanisms for correcting overreach.

[@RubelliteFae]

"we ended up finding out" Some of us even read the bill before it was passed and tried to sound the alarm, but were ignored. And, continued to sound the alarm for years about several of that administrations problems, but were ignored. And, continued to sound the alarm when these sorts of activities continued under the Hope & Change guy from the opposite party, and weren't just ignored, but lambasted for going against team "Good Guy." Until one day, some of us realize that all of our youthful exuberance went to waste-on an electorate too ignorant to take political action in it's own interests-and just shout bitter retrospective posts into the void of Internet comments.

[@Col_Fragg]

Here’s an idea: Make it illegal for any app to track you or collect any user data whatsoever.

[@lookswine]

My hiking app needs to track my GPS when I leave it on.

[@superradiojay]

Does color blocks and fruit nased games need it ?​@lookswine

[@MsTironce]

That was the point of this episode. Duh!

[@grilledflatbread4692]

Facebook dislikes this

[@tannersmith7378]

Good thing I don't have Tik-Tok, and only consume short form media on every other app

[@Onarca]

It's not just about the short form content, it's the rate that it spreads misinformation and disinformation. It puts most other apps to shame in that regard.

[@AutumnsGunnar]

@@Onarcalol no it doesn’t. Twitter is the king of misinformation and Facebook definitely takes second place. TikTok is more strict about everything across the board when it comes to social media companies. You can’t even say certain words like gun without being flagged

[@illuminant777XtX]

Short form video is absolute cancer. Its time waste and highly addicting. Most people can never stop doing it for a long time. And it completely fucks up children. Short form video infinity scroll should be banned or at least heavily regulated. It brain rots a BILLION people who could do something usefull otherwise like god damn learn something read or anything.

[@dizont]

@@illuminant777XtX i agree, short video format has to be regulated or smthn. Its hijacking human brain

[@chriscoalman1075]

@@Onarca Oh yes its a problem. Fluid intelligence in humanity is on a decline (most data shows towards social media/media usage) first time ever its observated and at the same time AI is on the rise. We are in for some awakening.

[@shroomyk]

As much as I dislike tiktok and short-form brainrot, a better solution would be to just crack down on companies collecting and selling data. But we all know that Congress never chooses the better solution.

[@macrumpton]

Not when the worse solution is funding their campaigns they don't.

[@charybdis8113]

Data collection is important for developing AI

[@helenapayne3414]

@@charybdis8113even worse

[@flyphone1072]

​@@charybdis8113 good, ban data harvesting anyway, fuck 'em

[@kyleliegel]

@@charybdis8113 oh no... anyway!

[@Anarchist_Angel]

We have publicly owned radio stations. We have publicly owned television broadcasting. Why do we not have publicly owned internet service providers and social media spaces?

[@nothankyou7979]

Because of the insane fearmongering against socialism & communism. Anything „communal“ is bad!! Only hyperindividualism and capitalism good.

[@freedomishavingachoice3020]

Technically, PBS is on KZbin.

[@mc76]

You might have noticed that the GOP has tried to defund A and B on a regular basis. There is no way the incoming administration is going for C.

[@user-zu5do6ri6r]

@Thiefnuker The government shouldn't be funding the first 2 things. This is a classic 2 wrongs don't make a right.

[@ObviusRetard]

Be careful what you wish for when twitter becomes state media under Trump hehe

[@InteractiveRootsProd]

Jon Oliver always nailing investigative journalism - one of the best social media explanations regarding risks and data.

[@Living_Life242]

Forgot to mention that the entire reason why Trump wanted to ban TikTok is because his feelings were hurt after a bunch of young people used it to organize a mass-booking of one of his rallies that made it look like thousands of people were going only to have an empty stadium.

[@Linkman8912]

How did that work? Were the tickets paid, because if they were that seems counterproductive.

[@BugsyBugYT]

i find that very funny tbh

[@overlycriticaldirectorsclu5590]

Or the other big reason that the channel Second Thought talked about. That the American government wanted to ban TikTok because of all of the Palestinian support. Really disappointing that John didn’t mention that at all

[@stanstrum]

⁠@@Linkman8912 No, it was to have the organizers believe far more people were going to be in attendance than there was.

[@overlycriticaldirectorsclu5590]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnaneI2ifMRnZ80si=f9OCZtCNG2XAUmCO

[@Herr_Vorragender]

The point that Google and Meta are doing the exact same thing only on a far larger scale, can not be stressed enough!

[@johnconner4695]

They are American companies so it’s irrelevant.

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

Byte Dance brought this exact thing up during the hearing, and Congress' actual reaponse was "They're not Chinese, they don't count."

[@douga874]

I guess ...but you can sue/put in jail the owners of a US company for misuse (however actually real or unreal 🤷🏻💲💲💲) CIA doesn't have an office in the Google building...the Chinese intelligence services have a literal office at tiktok.i believe China sets rules on content/algorithms for media companies...I'm not even sure FB is allowed in China...gotta be easier to argue/fight a company like Google as a us citizen than the Chinese government as a Chinese citizen.

[@JeremyHoffman]

Would you say that the American companies have the same relationship with the American government as Chinese companies have with the Chinese government?

[@gogudelagaze1585]

Are they going to use that data in an active conflict against you, like China is preparing to?

[@SomeThingElseYT]

I feel not enough people talk about this new wave of TikTok like formats on all platforms actually being incredibly bad for creators as much as its users. As easy as this new format is to artificially grow user traffic to trick investors into believing a platform is more popular than it actually is (and to collect as much user data as possible), its as easy for these same platforms to pay their creators significantly less due to the way it collects and distributes its payouts mixed with the way the algorithm is set up to promote theft and spam bots. Creating a creatorless perpetual money pit based on fake user traffic/ data. In some cases like KZbin shorts, it not only causes the main income that is long form content to dwindle as punishment for not utilizing shorts, it also adds an extra layer of work (focusing on youtube shorts and long form) while again, paying its creators less. I know what I’m saying is a little off topic but i thought id mention this to the conversation from the perspective of a creator on these platforms.

[@logansleepingbaer]

Glad you said this. Our economy can stretch to fit a lot of interests, but this is an unregulated bubble lurking, that doesn't have to pop if managed better.

[@lucidattf]

I think it’s a valuable subject too, even if a little off of the main subject of this segment. hope you’re doing well SomeThingElse :)

[@letsRegulateSociopaths]

Tik Tok was created in China. China has more fraud than the rest of the world combined.

[@mariyamwaniki]

You have 4 million subscribers. You’re huge.

[@icedteajello]

i wish more creators fought back against it instead of complying and changing what they do. good to see you again and i’m glad youre getting the side of creators out there

[@horamulticolora6330]

Hey, I'm from Romania. For those of you who don't know what is currently happening here, on Sunday we had the first round of presidential elections. Because of tiktok, a guy who 70% of the country had never heard of before is now in the 2nd election round. He is an extremely dangerous individual- he is pro russian, anti UE, anti NATO and has stated, on multiple occasions, how he admires the legionaries(a fascist romanian party from the 40s). Not to mention that he's homophobic, anti abortion and doesn't believe in medicine(he claims covid isn't real because he hasn't seen the virus and also doesn't believe in cancer). We are extremely afraid of what the next 2 weeks will bring us... never underestimate the power of tiktok. He used bot farms to launch his campaign, by spamming thousands of comment sections with messages like "I will vote for Călin Georgescu!" and managed to gain the votes of many, many uninformed people...

[@alexanotfromamazon]

Exactly. I'm sorry to hear that this is also happening to you. Political leadership all over the world are seeming really scary.

[@markbarrie5373]

Aweful

[@lapetiteallemande1]

I just wanted to comment on Romania as well. After Brexit and Trump's reelection, arguing that 'we have no proof' that a social media platform controlled by China is dangerous to Western democracies is not a justification for tolerating the platform. Instead, it should serve as a warning sign that we urgently need to figure out how to prevent foreign interference that leads people to vote against their own interests!

[@snoopstheboss994]

@@lapetiteallemande1 X is controlled by Musk and Putin. It is a very American company.

[@richardarthurnorton]

If there was no TikTok he would just use all the other social media to spread propaganda

[@GamerSapss]

As a Norwegian, whenever this topic have shown up, I've had the same concerns regarding the US based companies. Why should I trust Tiktok less than Google or Meta? Yeah, China is a very concerning country and the US is an ally... doesn't mean I would want the US to have it either

[@pamgallina]

Bingo! You got it. This is a global conflict over which psychopathic cabal is going to own you and your children, forever

[@Karategata]

As an American I agree, the American companies take just as much data. They should be just as scrutinized. Honestly more so since America has terrible corporate greed issues.

[@Wolf.81]

Norway does have data privacy protection laws though. So does the rest of the EU. And American companies are compliant (or at the least, European nations force compliance here).

[@chippychin]

Nobody in their right mind would trust any US corporation, especially if their CEOs show up on the 'Forbes Real Time Billionaire's List'. The richer they are, the more they want from you, and their greed-sickness compels them to do ever increasingly bad things to keep themselves on that list. Norway should lock it's doors and turn out the lights when a US corporation comes knocking. My grandparent's should have never left.

[@rc_matic]

In China, all companies must comply with their National Intelligence efforts. ~50% of the US is on Tiktok. The app requests permission for access to video/photos, geolocation, microphone, contacts info, camera access. With facial recognition, voice recognition, geolocation presumably at the fingertips of a “rival” country, concern is understandable. In the US, there are concerns about backdoors and government proxies. However, there is a STRONG culture of capitalism and gov skepticism. So in short, US uses data for $$$, China presumably uses it for state sponsored activities.

[@Ursicus-td8zt]

If my taxpayer-funded math teacher can demand I show my work, then I demand Congress shows theirs.

[@rightsdontcomewithpermits7073]

And this is why we have politicians like we have, Because we have nothing better to offer. Everyone is crap. 😂

[@user-zu5do6ri6r]

@Ursicus-td8zt You have it backwards. We owe society. Society doesn't owe us.

[@janetsolbakken3332]

@@user-zu5do6ri6r, we may owe society, but we don’t have to let corrupt congress hide information from us to protect one of their own. They owe us integrity in their leadership.

[@jokerz7936]

Eat your veggies and in about 25 years you can look it up when it's declassified.

[@coltonblake13]

You mean classified? For a reason. I'm going to guess it's how they use the data. The data that they collect is literally everything, including keystrokes for everything on every app, including permission to allow those permissions to your devices linked to your profile. So any government employee has allowed them to access the computers and everything on them if they've ever used Tic-Tok on a government device or your government credentials on a private device with Tic-Tok.

[@johnchessant3012]

13:07 The main point: If you're not okay with TikTok collecting your data, then you also shouldn't be okay with Google and Meta collecting your data. A ban makes no sense. Pass a privacy law that stops companies, American and foreign, from collecting so much data on consumers in the first place.

[@cliffmode2000]

But we all know Facebook is just a front for the US government to spy on you. Google and apple too.

[@UpstateBeard]

I already don't have a Facebook so I guess it's time for protonmail (already a good idea) and using AskJeeves/Brave? Doesn't sound that bad to me. You're absolutely right.

[@OregonDroneScapes]

How about you go and look at all of the permissions that TikTok has compared to other apps it is mind-boggling. I could obviously tell that you have no idea what you’re talking about and have done no research whatsoever. Also, you physically cannot get away from Google. In fact, they own KZbin and almost every major platform also every single website uses their index. You try to sound like your tech savvy, but it’s not really working that well.

[@SGGCREATIVES]

That is antisemitic

[@Phil_529]

Why let China compete in our market in the first place? They certainly don't allow any of our apps over there.

[@TrapGod_JackofAllTrades]

Love you work John. Probably the most nuanced take on the TikTok ban I've seen so far.

[@greghodges2116]

Maybe we need robust public protection laws on all forms of social media, not just TikTok

[@iamjustkiwi]

Yeah, I feel like having the largest social media platform being owned by a trump sycophant who now works with him is PROBABLY an issue

[@mike17032]

China doesn’t care what laws we pass.

[@catserver8577]

At this point, it's kind of like closing the barn door after all the cows have run away.

[@loon1994]

​@catserver8577 Gen Z and possibly even a good chunk of gen alpha are cooked. However, why not shut the door for the baby calves who are still popping up in the barn

[@eragonawesome]

​@@catserver8577 I'd say more like water on a fire that's already burned down the house, but there's still the chance to mitigate FURTHER harm that could be done

[@stevenmarsh7155]

If they were treating it as a direct threat, it MIGHT hold water, but the tact of "its too dangerously powerful, you must sell it to us" is laughably, stupidly transparent.

[@SynthiaVan]

If you know anything about China and how it views America, you would see how obviously it is a destabilization weapon right out of their playbook. Banning propaganda and misinformation vehicles that are owned by foreign adversaries should not be controversial. The reason it is controversial is because the propaganda is working.

[@jgunn03]

Yes. Considering all the U.S. apps collect and store the same info TT is allegedly storing.

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

That doesn't change the facts, though. Sure, you can use whataboutism, but a Tik Tok ban is justified if they don't sell.

[@nmarbletoe8210]

@@Atrail_Mckinley4786 Call it whataboutism, or call it justice, either way

[@reniorjd]

To be fair the bill allows any company to buy it not just an American on. personally, I would find it funny if an Indian company bought it.

[@mattbehling7416]

So basically government saying how dare you track our citizens that’s our job

[@EthanMitch]

No it's the job of their donor social media companies

[@cc1k435]

Yeah, well, one problem at a time. The Chinese taking our money leaves us all unable to deal with our own crooked billionaire class. 😂

[@paulgrieger8182]

Well said.

[@CentristDad155]

So you trust the government that kills millions of its own citizens at a time and has gulags? If they do that to their own citizens what are they going to do to you?

[@IVWOR]

You id...t

[@lesofages]

Love how the iron giant is one of John Oliver's "hear me outs" 😂

[@anderji]

As a non-US citizen, if the US is so worried about a foreign company doing what they do... Maybe we should also be worried about US-based tech giants being a national security threat

[@RochelleHasTooManyHobbies]

Yeah, you definitely should be. Those companies would ruin your life for $5.

[@Mind4orLease]

As an American, I would say that's probably a good thing to be worried about.

[@OkItsJustSean]

That just doesn't make sense. When the government says "national security threat" what they really mean is, in a time of war or conflict this thing poses a threat to the U.S. Government and/or U.S. Citizens. China is an adversary that the U.S. could potential have a conflict with in the next couple of decades and tik tok could easily be to compromise our country

[@atranimecs]

Trump socially engineered the 2016 election using Cambridge Analytica, META's former analytics handler...so yeah we have an example of how any tech company is a liability

[@thesharpshooterking9963]

as a U.S. citizen in tech and security yes you should be more worried about what facebook will do with your data or Alphabet (parent company of google) or amazon will do than tiktok

[@125steini]

"Metaphorical gun violence will not stand!" 🤣

[@Gaite4354]

Yup, its true. China is dangerous.

[@matthewsanchez7953]

Metaphorical thoughts and prayers.

[@lydiaboll2872]

@@matthewsanchez7953 😂 plz

[@USCTrojan2013]

@@matthewsanchez7953 ❤❤❤❤ THIS!!!!

[@Tyler.8046]

22:45 - My favorite tenant of the American Justice System is "No one is above the law, except if you're a Republican whose been participating Child Sex Trafficking, the disruption of the peaceful transfer of power, or your net worth ends with more than 6 zeros. In which case, go straight to Boardwalk and collect $200 if you pass GO."

[@randyross5630]

Oh, Yeah... That is Right, it's just One Person in the Whole Nation that Gets Special Treatment... If you are a Local Picking On an Out of Stater you are Essentially Above the Law! You have No Clue How the Nation Really Works Do You? Same Happens for many Democrats... How about the Whole Epstein List... I'd say the Clintons... But than I'd just be another Victim of them, in their Long List!

[@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920]

That's TENET, not TENANT, of American law.

[@Tyler.8046]

@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920 lol, I'm glad that's the best correction you have. You knew what I meant and that's all that matters ☺️

[@Hobo_productions]

Life is short. You won't regret putting the phone down a little more often.

[@buskE46]

Thank you for wrapping it up properly in the end. We just need data privacy laws that apply to all companies.

[@williamgraham822]

Bot

[@jaredsmith1871]

I'm not sure you nor the writers nor the general public understand the "whole of society" threat that China uniquely presents.

[@jupiterkansas]

He did not hit this point hard enough. We need privacy protections from all businesses.

[@-WildCat]

I agree with John's conclusion about the need for data privacy laws, but his overall analysis leaves out some aspects that he wouldn't be able to talk about without getting into trouble with his business daddy. Second Thought made a better analysis of the TikTok ban in their video 'The Real Reason The US Wants To Ban TikTok'.

[@scoodeles]

​@@williamgraham822how is this a bot account I agree with him we need data privacy in all apps and in just all company's In general 😅

[@patriciamillin-j3s]

I live in Germany. Here we have data protection laws and when you enter a website, you are more often than not asked to confirm cookies or set preferences. Some sites are simply three or four buttons, others have one button each to reject all cookies and object to “legitimate interest”, on others again, you actually have to go through lists of vendors and reject/object each one individually. I personally don’t see why a US or Asian company (or wherever), that I will never have contact with, should have my data and store it on their servers for a year, in some cases even 5 or 10 years, so I go through those lists of up to 30-50 companies every time and switch each one off. It’s totally annoying, but it also opens your eyes as to how many companies that you don’t even know actually collect your data.

[@denisemarychild4994]

Has all your hard work been successful in slowing down the advertising? I do it in a hit and miss approach. Maybe I should be more diligent…and kudos to you 🎉

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Its actually illegal what those companies are doing, under GDPR every website needs to have a 1 click opt out for all data collection that is not vital to the operation of the website. So every time you have to go through a list and object to all of them, that website is breaking the law, and you can file a complaint with your country's national data protection/privacy organisation. Theyre pretty backlogged right now so there will probably be a delay of a year or two before they get to it, but those companies will get fined.

[@Cherrysmith2809]

We have that in America too.

[@kevinsmets]

Install the ghostery extension, enable auto-deny cookies option and enjoy the web a little bit more again

[@user_hat]

​@@Cherrysmith2809oh we do?

[@DavidNelsonATX]

I’m in the “I’m too old” camp. I fall somewhere between TikTok and hour plus podcasts. Your show falls perfectly in my sweet spot.

[@ioutra6121]

this comment exactly

[@donaldtrumpsmom4575]

😂😂😂😂😂this show fits perfectly in the trash that where the dem party is too. Trump 2024.

[@katiekane5247]

​@@donaldtrumpsmom4575Linda McMahon and Dr Oz 🤣 The second least satisfying "I told you so" in recent history 😢

[@josephinethornton3823]

Tiktok, much like desperate trolls that were obviously starved of their mother's attention, is something that just holds no interest for me. I once downloaded it and tried to make videos but I simply can't give enough of an eff to be bothered with it and, as all things on the Internet work, unless you're willing to put in the time and make it flashy (or simply use a filter to fake the flashy and add music people like) it's not ever going to get engagement. But that's ✨exactly✨ my sweet spot. As of about 12 years old I got WAY TOO ATTENTION, and at 50 I've finally aged out of the vast amount of attention from a huge mass of horny dudes and angry women that want the attention of the horny men. I'm finally just a person again, like I was for the first 11 years of my life. It's GLORIOUS. So why would I go through the steps required to purposefully seek an audience by gaming an algorithm to pay attention to me? For what possible purpose? If people aren't willing to read what I have to write, it's obvious they have no interest. I'm not going to put on makeup and a showy dress for T&A appeal to get attention when I want to speak up about something. Trying to jam everything I need to say into a short TikTok video is like parts of John Oliver's show- he's speaking too fast about the really IMPORTANT parts and knows he'll lose the audience if he doesn't make another joke despite the gravity of what he's speaking about. On a random note, I just noticed that Trump looks vaguely like my dad, in the kind of dead eyed stare where they paused his tiktok video as John kept speaking. It's the exact look of a man who is mentally and emotionally trapped in a place a plethora of decades ago and REALLY doesn't like the world he's trapped in now but it's that or death so he just keeps existing with that bizarre expression and is angry he's not relevant. Thankfully my dad died so he won't be insulted by that as he hated Trump for being "a philandering, soul selling spineless schmuck that stands for absolutely nothing if he can make a buck off it; all he cares about is money and those people are the people that historically have always flushed our country straight down the toilet," and, as with most things, my father was indeed correct. That dead eyed stare of a man making a video telling people he's there to save a platform he himself tried to get rid of, on the platform telling people to vote for him because he'll save it. But he won't. He doesn't understand it and only uses it to ogle women younger than his own daughter. . . And, of course, to make money selling cheap Chinese garbage merch on a Chinese app with virtue signaling American flags everywhere, all of the items ignoring the actual flag code itself. What a lifeless husk of a person that desperately wants it to be the 1980's again.

[@SharienGaming]

ive been too old for all that nonsense back since i was in my teens XD had one look at facebook and friendster and all the other nonsense back then and said "nope not touching that"

[@ktakatheo]

As a government contactor, the short answer is "yes, TikTok is bad" . the longer answer "most social media is bad, but with AI in the mix, TikTok is a much more short term threat".

[@zaxzumu4605]

Tom Cotton sounds less like the name of a Senator and more like one of the alternate working titles for Jim Crow

[@jakepistolero]

ah, the inspiration for the nuremberg laws

[@neminem233]

😭😭

[@fatusopp4739]

his name sounds like he should be commentating professional dodgeball on espn 8: the ocho

[@Pbav8tor]

Sounds like a cartoon Fruit of the Loom ad campaign.

[@aidancallahan6271]

@@fatusopp4739 Was gonna comment the same thing hahahahah

[@patrickhaley1312]

I don't really think it's more nuanced than most people think. Congress is banning tiktok for doing the exact same things all other social media companies do. The only difference is who owns the company, or more realistically because American social media companies have been lobbying for over a decade. And since it's not blanket protection for all American's data from all social media companies all tiktok has to do is buy the data from american companies for pennies. It's a bad law written by people who don't understand the technology they're legislating.

[@M3ganwillslay]

They want to ban it for only one reason . 🧃 Have no control over it .

[@sanmer85]

They're doing it cuz Meta paid them

[@M3ganwillslay]

@sanmer85 the entire Jewish lobby . Not just meta

[@_jpg]

​@@M3ganwillslayIs the Jewish lobby currently in the room with us?

[@benwalters4808]

​@@_jpgaipac? Nah they are busy buying the new incoming house members

[@Commander.Starfleet]

The singaporean being grilled by that congressman should've retorted with his own questioning, based on appearance: "how long have you served in the russian FSB? Do you hold a russian passport?"

[@donnaflores2166]

And asked if he was here legally

[@dominicnzl]

everyone is guilty until proven otherwise in very simple words a 5 year could understand if he really wanted to

[@MarcColten73]

Talk about a flashback. "Are you now or have you ever been?"

[@Hawkenwhacker]

Fighting back with their own questioning would be counterproductive. Allow the one doing the questioning to expose their own foolishness.

[@poeticsilence047]

​@@Hawkenwhacker exactly. Make them look bad and silly. Keep saying the right answers.

[@DelianaEscobari]

19:42 "the chef of Ratatouille trying to pivot to Bitcoin" will have me giggling all day

[@EvanRockwell1]

Why can't the government be as concerned about school shootings as they are about TikTok?

[@Mortibella]

Because there are no big corporate interests to shell out $$$ to stop school shootings.

[@julianhernandez5732]

How would you solve school shootings? If you have a great idea, start a lobbying campaign or search up some lobbyist groups. You’ll quickly learn the questions to your answers once you have conversations with our congressmens’ and congresswomens’ interns.

[@phantomy8941]

Simple, ban guns and/or have better gun control laws like in Europe

[@MorbidEel]

They are actually equally concerned. They are just more concerned about providing aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and other places.

[@abramjessiah]

Because China is at war with us.

[@goatness]

The “sell it to an American company” part of the demand tells me that it is entirely about money.

[@cathywethington5913]

Exactly

[@neildolan3700]

On the other hand, the refusal to do so tells me it's *not* about money on ByteDance's end.

[@harveyataddlety4073]

America will always try their best to keep certain information from getting to the public.

[@goatness]

I was talking about the reason for the demand to sell, which was not initiated by ByteDance. But also, if the dictate is that they must sell to an American company, that’s a limitation on potential bidders which could artificially keep the price low. Heck, they’d probably force a sale of $1 to some temporary holding company, which then resells to the highest domestic bidder for an enormous profit that doesn’t leave this country. If ByteDance is interested in money, they’d want to keep the ongoing revenue instead of being forced into selling.

[@宋庆礼]

@@neildolan3700 Really? If you were force to sell your thriving company under a short notice, you will never get even half of asset worth. Not to mention the company could worth double in a year. Imagine you force Musk to sell his Tesla share 2020.

[@kamalindsey]

It's crazy that the U.S is so behind on data privacy law, considering PERSONAL PRIVACY IS LITERALLY GUARANTEED IN THE CONSTITUTION. Yes, only against government and not private interest, but it speaks to a moral value this country was founded upon. A value that the government clearly has never cared about. Maybe we should consider these rights more broadly rather than just in binary ways like that.

[@hadara69]

I hope your valuable comment gets 2K likes. EXACTLY!!

[@buildinganewworld2682]

To get through this entire story without ever saying "Israel/Palestine" is REDICULOUS. The bill sat in limbo for 3 years until we started using it to organize for Palestine. Multiple congresspeople including Democrat Krishnamoorthi and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley specifically cited this as the reason they wanted to ban tiktok. "China" is just cover for cracking down on free speech.

[@ArloMathis]

Personal privacy is an *implied* right in the Constitution, one you arrive at that *must* exist based on the other named rights. But it's ultimately not black and white, and is in real danger of being curtailed by the Supreme Court.

[@SF_Bud]

Unfortunately it's not stated, but implied. And maybe you missed it but Roe v. Wade got overturned and the original ruling was based on the implied right to privacy. So the current SCOTUS isn't even holding that implied right in high regard.

[@EoghanSexton]

At the end of the day, American social media is banned in China. Even if you ignore all the perceived dangers of TikTok, purely based on reciprocity it is completely reasonable to ban the platform in America. Usually find this channel to be great. But the fact that one the most obvious arguments here was essentially ignored is pretty poor.

[@bobbyboy1797]

It's an issue I've always had with Oliver. No mention of the unique quirks Tik-tok has on fake news and brain rot. And not mention of the fact that Meta, Facebook, and Google are all being slapped with anti-trust lawsuits and Google losing chrome is on the table.

[@bobjones2959]

I mean China does it because they're an authoritarian state that wants to spy on their own people and control what they can and cannot see on the internet. I'm sure reciprocity is a just enough cause to undermine America's own principles for some people, for others it may not be. And again, this piece isn't saying nothing should be done about Tiktok, it's saying that banning Tiktok does literally nothing to protect Americans' data privacy and that a solution for that should be applied broadly to the entire space rather than singling out one company just because it's Chinese.

[@AmuletRebel]

The fact that John brought up Xena Warrior Princess shows that he knows me better than he ever intended too, cuz yes, Xena was my bisexual awakening.

[@nikitafedenchenko1396]

I mean duh

[@shelleys1872]

Haha exactly

[@MakoKitten]

Xena and Gabrielle were a lot of peoples bi awakenings.

[@rjspiteri5758]

I didn't understand why I liked Ioulas so much for decades...

[@007kingifrit]

funny cuz when i saw that line I was like "ugh consume more product and get excited for next product"

[@comfortsibanyoni9523]

The last time American said there were weapons of mass destruction in a country i won't mention millions of people died for no reason and the country has never recovered

[@airbrushken5339]

How about the over 300,000 american solders who died from health issues after they got home, directly related to their exposure to dioxin (Agent Orange). Sprayed since 1962 starting with JFK through Ford. All those fellow presidents knew in advance that the defoliant had between 3-5 times the level of the toxic Dioxin. They also NEVER told medical personal, military doctors or medical students signs of exposure, treatment if there are any! "Thank you for your service"??? Really??? Lest we forget!

[@DaughterofDiogenes]

This should be starred. Right on.

[@mikevondebag]

We should break up FB and IG into seperate companies again as well.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

and whatsapp and everything else. sadly that wont happen because your market watchdogs are toothless and your entire government is corrupt to the bone. still, banning chinese malware is a good move.

[@hadara69]

Agreed! Look what Elon just did with Twitter. He totally put his thumb on the scale for Trump and even sent out FAKE texts pretending to be from the Kamala campaign. NO consequences! They have WAAAAAAY too much power!

[@007kingifrit]

that's not a bad idea, but tiktok is evil and does need to go.

[@hadara69]

@007kingifrit Prove it, like JO just did that you're full of it ... Don't just make claims using "evil" without thinking it through. Face it, YOU don't even believe you! 😉

[@007kingifrit]

@@hadara69 tiktok is a threat to our national security, owned by a communist entity engaged in genocide and seeking to expand their borders. they are our enemy. grow up child, a comedian is not a source of news.

[@robertlloyd122]

One of the things this boils down to is that people in the US trust businesses way way more than we should.

[@NimrodtheWHM]

I hate to say it, but as a writer a lot of my Indie writer groups have sung praises for TikTok selling books. People who had ZERO sales for months advertising on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, suddenly were selling hundreds to thousands of books per month. I've not been one to trust it much either, but I can vouch for it's great for small businesses.

[@Anne_one]

you’re right it’s great for small business and has changed so many lives. The amount of money that app makes must be ridiculous.

[@NIN0101]

I don’t believe you. People use TikTok don’t read books.

[@superradiojay]

You think that is because tiktok is so good... or... bc fb and Instagram are that corrupt?

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Wow. Tom Cotton's questioning of Shou Chew went REALLY deep into McCarthy "Red Scare" territory. Maybe Tom Cotton is a time traveler from the 1950's?

[@DavidPutmanWhoa]

thats what it reminded me of too

[@taylorkirkland3529]

The real question is, why this guy isn't an American citizen, and his wife and kids are.

[@xnflg3074]

@@taylorkirkland3529 are people from other countries not allowed to get married to americans now? what are you talking about?

[@gaiusoctavius6107]

@@taylorkirkland3529so his evil plan was to infiltrate the U.S. by… not having citizenship rights despite wanting his children to have them, in order to spy for a country he has never lived in and which is geopolitically and ideologically opposed to the actual country he was born in. I’m not saying tiktok is great, and that guy probably sucks (he’s a tech executive), but there’s just nothing to suggest he had any malicious intent related to any foreign country.

[@MagnumCarta]

@@taylorkirkland3529 Because he lives in Singapore and he can come to the US on business visas as he normally does. What a silly question. Its 100% legal to marry outside your country for many countries. Look into IMBRA or the International Marriage Brokerage Regulations Act. The US is a a part of it. Even China is.

[@samuxan]

A summary: tiktok does everything alphabet, microsoft, X or meta do, but the company doesn't share the data with the us government so they don't like it. So instead of doing a European style GDPR they focus on just the app they don't control(or doesn't donate to their campaigns)

[@KaifongChang]

That's the whole point! Americans can only be screwed by American themselves, not by the Chinese. This is indeed a national security issue...

[@JustinAzoleGaming-i5l]

So you would rather have chinese overlords? Europe is also working to ban tiktok BTW. Why do you think china doesnt allow such programs within their borders unless they are owned by china? Here is a hint, they understand the power and influence it would give the United States over their people.

[@Foolofatook889]

American tech companies do not share your data with the government unless they’re subpoenaed. TikTok has also used the app to track the location and harrass a journalist that published information that they didn’t like.

[@nkanyezihlatshwayo3601]

I wouldn’t be surprised that in the last four years ByteDance has made significant monetary contributions to keep their business afloat but that security hawks can’t find it in themselves to trust it a priori because that ‘feels an awful lot like bribery’ - which is, of course, a significant security concern.

[@purplekey9330]

This is skipping over the fact it's going to a foreign government. Tiktok is owned by a nation that isn't on the best terms with us, of course it gets a special condition. I don't get how this keeps getting missed. It's not that we can't see, it's that China can

[@thennafish]

TikTok profiling people and lumping all in the same demographics even if it doesn’t actually apply to them is the biggest problem with it being so prevalent. It forces people to conform to the algorithm’s idea of what categories people should fall into and easily allows for less visible or publicly accepted ones to be overlooked and felt abandoned. Those that are overlooked feel overwhelming social pressure to conform to groups that they don’t fit into and never get to explore their identity on their own. Some people are happy for having a group to say they fit into, but a lot feel ostracized by those who actually do and have to mask their personalities in order to maintain a status quo they didn’t even question because an algorithm’s pipeline threw them into the wrong pool 7:48

[@Exnem]

I like how nobody has noticed the description called all the viewers bisexual yet.

[@gristen]

they're right.. i am 😂

[@conspicuous.8163]

Hmm… 🤔

[@katherinec1153]

Absolutely am. Too bad it took 20 years instead of a few rounds of tiktoks but hey, we're here, I guess.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Didnt notice it. You probably did because youre gay.

[@zxggwrt]

Ha! I just saw that thanks

[@brianfernandes10BD]

You know it's funny when TikTok is getting banned for data broking, while Meta and Google are giggling heartily.

[@AutumnsGunnar]

It’s happening because they lobbied for it

[@blueice35270]

And you TALK about buying something and the next thing you know there are 15 ads on the damn Microsoft EDGE and Facebook for it.

[@MrAweeze]

At least they're American. We don't want to help China hasten our inevitable collapse

[@ChrisAlfanoPHL]

It's getting banned for being owned by a company that has to put the interests of an adversarial foreign government over its own business. If they spin it out or sell it it's not banned

[@ChrisAlfanoPHL]

The fact that there's no public evidence that bytedance has acted on any directions from the Chinese government doesn't mean anything. There's no way we could know without deep espionage and of course we wouldn't want to reveal the intelligence methods we discovered any evidence through The point is that under the current regime the Chinese government has the right and ability to freely manipulate tiktok with no public visibility and that in and of itself is a huge problem. Whether they haven't done it already or we just don't have evidence that can be made public or they haven't done it yet, the fact remains that they can do it whenever they want and it's a huge threat Yes we should have blanket privacy and algorithmic manipulation regulations that apply to all American companies too. Also we shouldn't have major media companies dominating in America that are subject to the control of hostile foreign governments. All bytedance needs to do is sell off or spin out tiktok to a company not under the thumb of the CCP and everyone can keep using it. Why is that off the table for them?

[@dangregory-ys2li]

Concern trolling over a single app while the real issue is why the hell our phones are allowed to collect and redistribute our data to a whole host of corporations.

[@princess-from-another-gala1521]

Me, finishing the video and immediately opening tiktok: "It's what John would want"

[@_TracerBullet]

One very important point left out: Some members of congress and especially lobbyists despise how activists use TikTok, both to get organized and post videos that expose them.

[@avabullock7457]

This is so spot on!

[@ZijnShayatanica]

Oh damn, that makes a lot of sense!!

[@bobjones2959]

Didn't Mitt Romney literally let it slip at one point that Tiktok not suppressing criticism of Israel on their platform contributed toward the ban?

[@alinajones29]

This is actually the whole point. The data protection argument has always been disingenuous because American social media companies collect data in the same way and sell it to China, so China ends up with that data anyway. It’s all about controlling the flow of information and there’s been several leaked conversations and documents to back that up.

[@Microsizeme]

I don't think this was excluded so much as it's not relevant. Activists organize on all social media; if anything, TikTok's algorithm makes it marginally more difficult to organize on it due to arbitrary restrictions on language. TikTok just happens to be where young people are these days. Before TikTok, it was Twitter.

[@emmamurphy738]

John pointing out how shameless TikTok users are is so funny bc of how true it is. There are no secrets, no guilt, no shame on that app. A truly lawless land 😂

[@iamjustkiwi]

It is so weird seeing this as someone who was in their late teens when Facebook started getting popular. Kids growing up now are in such a public square all the time, I wouldn't have been able to handle the way things are now tbh.

[@donnadumare]

Addiction to time killer😢

[@macrumpton]

I'm not quite sure about that. 99.9% of TT users are afraid of being cringe, which is shame adjacent. The other .1% don't know what cringe is.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

If you see the things people admit to in public, the obvious conclusion is, theyre hiding things that are much worse.

[@RHCole]

100% fine with a blanket social media ban. If Tiktok is a security threat, then so is Insta, Snap, Facebook, and Twitter.

[@krombopulos_michael]

Not really though because they aren't owned by the governments of hostile nations. They would arguably be a security threat to the regimes of China, Russia, Iran etc. but that's why those governments have banned them

[@SC-dm1ct]

I completely agree, but the TikTok issue is because of its chinese ownership, and the fact that the amount of information the CCP can and has harvested from it is frightening. But yes, down with social media

[@supermariozelda]

Sounds like a free speech violation, no?

[@RHCole]

​@@krombopulos_michaelTikTok is owned by a Singaporean

[@RHCole]

​@@SC-dm1ctSingapore ain't China, TikTok is not controlled by China

[@amandaw2133]

19:35 There IS a Netflix doc about a TikTok cult called "Dancing for the Devil". The leader had been running the cult before TikTok, but moved onto the platform as a way to recruit. It's really heavy stuff. Power to the survivors.

[@TheMadface80]

Politicians: Foreign civilian surveillance? We can't have that! We must keep our civilian surveillance domestic! 😡

[@buildinganewworld2682]

To get through this entire story without ever saying "Israel/Palestine" is REDICULOUS. The bill sat in limbo for 3 years until we started using it to organize for Palestine. Multiple congresspeople including Democrat Krishnamoorthi and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley specifically cited this as the reason they wanted to ban tiktok. "China" is just cover for cracking down on free speech.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

"We have surveillance corporate state at home."

[@007kingifrit]

we should trust our own government is less of a threat than china

[@CCEkeke]

Its obvious the TikTok ban is not about China or data collecting. If it was, this law would apply to all social media and tech giants.

[@violabeaumont3758]

Meanwhile Trump and Company are threatening to leave NATO because some European countries are putting restrictions on Twitter. Talk about hypocrisy at its finest.

[@OkItsJustSean]

You're wrong. It is about data Chinese collection and spying. The U.S. government isn't worried about domestic companies as much because U.S. companies aren't trying to destroy the U.S. They just want to be rich. China is though. U.S. companies want your data for profit, China wants your data to weaken and control the U.S.

[@DreamGardener7]

Ahhh critical thinking!

[@TheRokstar13]

@@DreamGardener7right? Isn’t that an anomaly 😂

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

If TikTok gets banned in America, and Americans still want to use it, all they need is a VPN to access it from a different nation.

[@otterguyty]

Fine for casual users, but my 100% of my income is from American Tiktok users

[@cyberjunkie23]

That's not how it works. It is banned in India and you can't access it on VPN coz it's illegal for VPN providers.

[@markusayasse99]

This comment is sponsored by NordVPN! More about them after the sketch!

[@consciousness3466]

What if they remove it from the app store?

[@TotoLakay]

@@consciousness3466 Before app stores, we could download a program and install it on the pc or phone. Has that capability secretly removed or do people forget how to do that?

[@NitroRonin23]

John. The difference between the US having data on US citizens, and China having data on US citizens is starkly different.

[@TriforceWisdom64]

Yeah. The US government and companies can use the apps or the data harvested from them to spread propaganda, sabotage unions and protests, and potentially to investigate and arrest dissidents. My data is far more relevant to US-based interests than to the CCP.

[@lie6790]

Ban all corporations from stealing our info under threat of prison for management, leaders & major shareholders.

[@segfault-]

+1!

[@coltonblake13]

It isn't theft. You agree to their user agreements and terms and conditions

[@alexanderbrown4250]

But what about the 1st Amendment?

[@franjkav]

@@coltonblake13dumb argument

[@jspres86]

@@franjkav No it ain't. It's in the agreement. It's buried in 100 pages of legal nonsense but it's there. All they gotta do is show your consent and say "Not our fault you didn't read it."

[@MikeH89]

That clip made Senator Tom Cotton sound like a bargain basement Senator Joe McCarthy 😂😂😂

[@iambicpentakill971]

It would be really funny if someone "accidentally" called him Senator McCarthy during questioning

[@iYoSora]

i'm glad LWT points out that our own US companies pose the very same threats to our privacy, because that really really... really needs to be addressed.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Not the same threat. Tiktok hacks American citizens phones for the Chinese government. Google and Facebook hack your phone for the American government. False equivalency. As bad as the US government is. China is much worse.

[@catholicinmississippi]

See what we really need is data protection laws not banning a whole platform - that’s what I told my representatives but they’re more concerned with the politics of the “CCP” over American data.

[@Metaphoreign]

I think we all collectively realized the potential risks of having any personal information on computers connected to the internet to begin with, shrugged, and embarked on a technological odyssey together fully knowing it probably doesn't end well.

[@AdamYJ]

There was an element of “I’m nobody, why would they bother with my data?” also.

[@robgriffin4801]

How hasn't it ended well? Internet connectivity is one of humanity's greatest achievements. Also the "I'm nobody" argument still stands up remarkably well for all intents and purposes.

[@Raelven]

Holding hands and skipping along 🤣

[@ComradeMercy]

@@robgriffin4801it hasn’t ended badly yet. I love the internet and I think it’s absolutely amazing and has done great things for humanity. But it’s not over. It hasn’t ended, and we don’t know how things might change. For better or for worse

[@notimportant7682]

Speaking as an american it feels really odd that American social media companies have been collecting data from people around the world for decades now but as soon as a company from another country does it, it becomes ominous.

[@nizzo718]

yea none of these arguments hold water. all social media companies are the same and nothing is going to change because its good for business. The only good reason i saw for banning tik tok was just economic reciprocity. It wasn't mentioned here. We allow a chinese company to have free reign in america when they don't allow any of our tech companies to do business there. But its too late now because it wasn't dealt with when tik tok first arrived. Now theyre trying to walk it back after its taken significant market share from our companies and under a national security threat we have no details of.

[@makethischaoscount]

Americans in a nutshell

[@SuperBubba01]

So, USA is China? Mhkaaaay

[@saturndaise]

I think the difference is that if the right law passes in America then those companies will need to delete the data and currently the government can't look at any of it. On the other hand with the current laws in China the government can already view/use/store the data.

[@r.leeryan8755]

you're not getting the point. Most companies (esp american) collect the data to help with personalized ad purposes so 1000s of companies can more efficiently spend ad dollars. China has the potential to do much worse and put the thumb on the scale of our information distribution. Also, china blocks nearly ALL US internet tech companies in there "great firewall". There should be reciprocal approaches

[@okrajoe]

Wow, a classic Xena: Warrior Princess reference! Talk about throwback to the 90s!

[@sanseijedi]

I made a screensaver for my sons’ computer as they were both fans. Good memory for them. And me.

[@GreyDancer42]

Everyone talks about teens using TikTok, and sure they may be the primary users, but it's also used by the elderly in a way no other social media app allows. TikTok going away will be a major mental health impact on the elderly community.

[@MissBlueEyeliner]

I don’t trust myself to get TikTok… so I’ll just binge shorts on KZbin… at least I’m self aware about my cognitive dissonance.

[@nubeivanlama]

That’s exactly what I do

[@wetenschap123]

And funnily enough, KZbin algorithm still gets it wrong after 14 years. (and that's good)

[@christmastiger]

I can't do the short-form stuff, maybe that's why I'm so opposed to downloading TikTok cause people describe it like it's an addictive drug

[@JL0ndon]

@@christmastigeras a person who has dealt with actual addiction issues, i find it so alarmist and ridiculous to say it’s like a drug. It’s not a good thing for sure and it can be addictive but it’s nothing like a drug that can kill you from withdrawals or OD.

[@cascadecontroller]

Same, the shorts algorithm is pretty bad thou. So I hate myself for binging and the content is not even good.

[@Yutani_Crayven]

Unfortunate that the most harmful aspect of the app was completely ignored and not even tangentially touched on, and that is just how easy it is for incredibly disruptive and destructive misinformation to spread on that platform, and how widespread it is.

[@franjkav]

It also shares great information

[@franjkav]

We haven’t banned the internet or libraries for sharing bad information

[@bottomofastairwell]

Are there dangerous and harmful trends on tiktok, 100% But is out also the only place I can seem to get current and updated info on shit like Palestine and what's happening there? Yeah.

[@acetrainer5564]

Because that's not unique to tiktok.

[@pallao3500]

@@bottomofastairwell Current, and updated, and potentially terribly false information about stuff like Palestine, that is.

[@quotationmarksedits]

I feel called out by the “Xena: Warrior Princess” reference. That deserved a bigger laugh.

[@neuro_physics6844]

US government can (and does) call up American social media to remove/promote some content that dis/like. They can't do that with the chinese owned TikTok. That is the main reason why USA wants to make sure TikTok is not banned but owned by an American company. It is that simple.

[@bobjones2959]

Mitt Romney straight-up mentioned the criticism of Israel on Tiktok when asked why the ban was proposed lol

[@legsnhipsnbawdy]

The "dances to danger" bit is especially funny because there is a netflix documentary called "dancing for the devil" about a cult of tiktok dancers.

[@Royce16727]

"He did it too, and HE'S Chinese!" 🤣 As usual, I appreciate the nuance. Great show!

[@wesshiflet2214]

14:44 ok, I know it’s a quote but referring to Falun Gong as just a “banned religious group” is a pretty generous description lmfao

[@nmarbletoe8210]

persecuted

[@leaflaurel]

Cult

[@MortimerSeptimus]

they're a cult

[@gatosospechosop3]

@@nmarbletoe8210they are a cia funded cult who’s sole purpose at this point is to spread as much anti china propaganda as much as possible in the us lol

[@caffetiel]

​@@nmarbletoe8210 Suppressed with good reason.

[@Humblestruggle]

They know we will fall just because most Americans idolize entertainment first and foremos💜

[@derekGibsoundSG]

I like John Oliver’s segments because he follows concise analysis with next course of action, all done with a sense of humor.

[@laurenhahn101]

John Oliver got his BA at Christ's College Cambridge. Can you tell??? :)

[@007kingifrit]

if you're coming here for analysis you are not an informed person

[@batmaneo]

this guy is bought, listen to the video it’s full of propaganda I’m almost sure he’s working for the chinese government, maybe some chinese company owns his handlers

[@derekGibsoundSG]

@@007kingifrit people get information from many sources these days. never said this is the only source where I stay informed on this topic...

[@007kingifrit]

@@derekGibsoundSG viewing jon oliver and finding him informative at all is a poor reflection on you. i come here to see what bad people think. nothing more. if your news has a laugh track, it is trying to stop you from thinking.

[@zramsey11]

Data collection isn't my main concern with TikTok. Algorithmically-served short-form content is an immense plague on the human mind. Machine learning systems have become exceptional at keeping your attention, especially when the content only takes a minute to consume. This has been shown to induce ADHD-like symptoms, and needless to say, has wasted hours of peoples' time. It is impossible to pack any sort of nuance into a minute of video, leading to misinformation by ommission, and every piece of information is an opinion piece with no fact-checkers. This is a far bigger problem to me than any data collection. While TikTok is not the only offender, it is the most prolific.

[@Walterw21]

The fact that this is completely ignored in the video says all I need to know about bias. Covering TikTok without talking about this is not right. Younger generations don’t bode well and it is just ignored

[@bobs_sa8480]

This. A million percent this!

[@uncertain_zee]

This would be good, if just like the data collection stuff, it was done as a general rule and not just a tiktok ban. Instagram has reels, KZbin has shorts, it's all the same. How do u put a ban on that sort of short form content? Do u limit how effective the algorithm can work? It's hard. The data collection angle is a little easier, but again people would want it to be a larger scale thing, if tiktok gets banned have it be bc of a larger law on data collection that also limits what meta, x, Google can do.

[@hxy8586]

While I admit that's indeed a problem, the solution is not to ban TikTok but putting parent control of some sort on it, just like how iPad and computer games are for kids. When TikTok is banned Reel and YT Shorts will fill in the void and government will say nothing. Your concern remains. The US media pictures a scene that TikTok in China (Douyin) is with less of this sh*t but more educational, but that's a lie. There's the same kinds of sh*t and craziness on Douyin, only more of it and more addictive, because of the large population base. Why would US media lie about that? Well, think about that.

[@fahadahaf]

they already mentioned shorts and reels, but vine was american as well. not one person is/was talking about banning instagram, youtube, facebook, or any other platform because it serves short form content; except tiktok ofc. when it comes to tiktok suddenly you're all concerned about mental health and short form content. classic american hypocrisy at its finest

[@itsausername]

He has a good point. The jar hasn't been recognized for it's continued practicality and accomplishments.

[@janrees4887]

I'm thinking I need to get myself a jar.

[@nebylicza]

No need to ban TikTok. Let Elon Musk buy it and it’ll be done for in a year or two.

[@WayOfAges]

I remember seeing Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in a history clip looking on in disbelief as a Hollywood screenwriter was hammered with the same questions during the McCarthy era.

[@Chipajock]

told my congressperson "not only will i vote for your replacement, i will be campaigning for them, and i did"

[@SynthiaVan]

You're part of the problem, not the solution. We need more safeguards against propaganda and misinformation, not less.

[@bmocbruhistotle339]

Pick your multi billionaire overlord. Whoever has the nicest boots

[@pugachevskobra5636]

What?

[@reniorjd]

did it work?

[@Antonio-wh3oq]

How did the election go?

[@franciscomagalhaes7457]

John's impersonation of obnoxious teenaged girls just keeps getting better and better XD

[@straftanz7512]

In addition to privacy laws: - forcing companies to make their algorithms for timeline presentations transparent, including giving individual users insight on the individual parameters used, including the ability to change them and to access further company analytics on their own data would solve a lot of issues in the US and the rest of the world.

[@uncan]

Parent child argument: Your favorite social media platform is biased, invasive and corrosive! No, your social media platform is biased, invasive and corrosive!

[@cathywethington5913]

Exactly

[@betsyjohnson9699]

Exactly. The US government is screaming about TikTok like the incoming First Lady’s app isn’t worse

[@coltonblake13]

Mine doesn't collect literally everything, including keystrokes for everything on every app, including permission to allow those permissions to your devices linked to your profile. So any government employee has allowed them to access the computers and everything on them if they've ever used Tic-Tok on a government device or your government credentials on a private device with Tic-Tok. The data, if an American company has it, is subject to our laws. Foreign governments, especially china, do not.

[@Tustin2121]

@@coltonblake13- Why do you continually spam these lies?

[@SharienGaming]

@@coltonblake13 weird - how are you posting a youtube comment then? cause google does all that and more

[@sunnijo]

Can we just ban TikTok because 20 people using it at the grocery store with no headphones at full volume is really annoying?

[@DoodleThis]

Even if we kill TikTok, someone else will create the next app and the stupidity will continue. Hell, it’s already bleeding onto Instagram

[@rblyle382]

​@@DoodleThis fuck Instagram and Meta in general as well

[@soymilkman]

truu

[@scottstover482]

I think orange jesus is a bigger threat than tik tok.

[@brokenrecord3523]

Almost as dangerous as brown jesus

[@greteb1951]

I’m not Christian in the slightest but comparing the dried tangerine to Jesus feels a bit off

[@betsyjohnson9699]

@@greteb1951given how much Jesus fought against corrupt government and religious officials, Trump definitely is not in any way comparable to Jesus. The problem is that all of his followers think he is 😭

[@Trumpsucksmics]

@@greteb1951but his followers call him that 😢 I feel ashamed of my religion.

[@brokenrecord3523]

@@greteb1951 A self-proclaimed messiah promising salvation, but really just initiating a violent cult following?

[@sirripsalot420]

If it wasnt for the deranged china hawkery, this would be an everyday story in corporate america lmaoooo

[@diegohaldeman9719]

Its easy to have 7 million small “businesses” when half the tiktoks are people pushing their commissioned or dropshipped product

[@ribbitytoilet]

Exactly, just some bullshit claims

[@BernicePanders]

5:50 - I'm a single millennial with no transportation in a small town, stuck in a toxic MI hud apt. & have been disabled since childhood. I've been begging the medical system for 15 years for the amazing freedom & quality of life a scooter would give me, but was told I basically have to be bedridden or in hospice to qualify. Since I can't even make $200 above my fixed disability that's still under $1k a month, I have no hope of saving for one myself. I've tried a GoFundMe, but as is proven by this story, ppl are vastly more willing to give someone 10x what they needed- if it's on the news or viral. As it is now, I will end up not surviving the next 4 years, and all I hope for is that I can pass in my sleep like my grandparents & mom did. I gave up years ago on my dream of living in a RV/camper/van, so I can experience anything at all in my life before it's over...

[@chrisaem87]

Damn dude. Really sorry to hear.

[@user-zk8ed4kd2b]

❤️

[@Dezhavu13]

Tom Cotton does an excellent reprisal of Joe McCarthy's style of questioning.

[@DevilOfRoses]

Watching members of Congress call TikTok spywear when they need their grand kids to help them set up their Alexa's is hilarious.

[@Ursicus-td8zt]

7 million small businesses on Tik Tok may not seem like a lot, but that's 1/5 of all small businesses in America.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

Ohh shit

[@AutumnsGunnar]

TikTok added just shy of $25 billion to the GDP last year… Not all those 7 million business are small either so if anything stands out to Trump saving the app it’ll be that number

[@michaelf8221]

To be fair, if tik tok didn't exist or was banned, those same businesses would get the same business from people using the other non-banned apps.

[@SBrizzy8657]

​@@michaelf8221but it's not the case and most of those companies decide it hits more of its necessary demographic on Tic Tok.

[@KitaBFawkes]

​@@michaelf8221 In the same video above that I assumed we both watched... There is a literal cattle wrangling farmer explaining how he *doesn't* get the same business from other sources that he does from TikTok. So no, I don't think they would. And the reason for that is simple: they didn't see the cow for sale on YT or X or BlueSky. They saw it on TikTok. Different algo, different distribution, and TikTok's algo is built on selling and advertising products. Unlike YT, whose model is to appeal to the advertisers. The advertisers are still trying to sell, but YT isn't trying to sell for them in the same way. The platforms aren't actually samey enough for what you say to be true.

[@oneofus6924]

vine walked so tiktok could run. rest in power

Daniel O'Brien putting Iron Giant jokes into things will never die.

[@CDud-qi3re]

Ran to the comments to see or say this exact thing.

[@NovaKorpov]

WAIT, IS THIS WHERE DANNY B WENT?????

@ yeah he has won multiple emmies as senior writer

[@NovaKorpov]

Good on him. I use to watch OPCD...well....obsessively

[@lisahaber2104]

This is a prime example of "Every accusation is a confession"