this post was submitted on 08 May 2024
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TikTok is taking the US government to court.

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[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago (28 children)

And What does that have to do with anything? We aren't dealing with China, we're dealing with a corporation.

[–] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today -1 points 6 months ago (19 children)

According to former head engineer for US locations of TikTok, their services are centralized in China to the extent that it probably cannot even run off the US locations alone, and the Chinese owners ByteDance had complete access to everything on the platform including user data and if you believe security experts: your photo library, text message history, contacts list, and information of nearby wireless devices that you've so much as passed by. Also, they're a military partner in China.

That's not a US Corporation in any way, shape, or form. That is espionage. The fact that they announced they won't sell shows that they were never a business operating for profit, it was always about control.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago (18 children)

I'm sure you can link these security experts. Since that would be classed as malware and the industry standard is to write public reports on that stuff.

And saying they aren't like a US corporation because they do some military contracting is fucking hilarious.

[–] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today -3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Would it be classified as malware? I think people hand over permissions on their smartphone for most or all of those things on a daily basis without a second thought.

The report on the vast extent of data obtained by TikTok was published by an Australian firm called "Internet 2.0" but it's pay to view. Seems pretty substantial, though, since it hasn't been debunked in the 2 years since it was published. It also scored the highest recorded score on Malcore, owned by Internet 2.0, with a 63.1.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Lmao. They're trying to sell a product. They admit on their blog that the reason their score is so high is the trackers. Which are all from other social media companies and an advertiser. Oh and they counted Google Crashlytics.

TIL I learned good app maintenance is considered a red flag.

[–] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today -5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

If they cared about money they wouldn't be threatening to shut down rather than sell.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Internet 2.0 is threatening to shut down?

[–] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today -2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Ah my apologies I thought you meant TikTok when you said "They’re trying to sell a product." It's a pretty common defence and misdirection on these sort of posts.

If you don't trust Internet 2.0 is telling the truth, then how exactly have they evaded defamation lawsuits? Telling lies that negatively impact ByteDance's operations would be grounds for a lawsuit in all 3 of these countries.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world -2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Because launching a defamation suit is a PR disaster for them right now. Just look at you breathlessly repeating unproven accusations from years ago. They hardly need to blow up new ones.

[–] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today -2 points 6 months ago (1 children)
  1. Allowing yourself to be defamed is a PR Disaster. Suing the US Federal Government is a PR Disaster.
  2. They could have done it years ago when it hit headlines around the world, too.
[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Well one of those is required if they want to stay in business and the other one hasn't had much bearing on their US business. So I think it's pretty self explanatory.

[–] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today -3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

It's not. Reports of you being a threat to national security seems to have a lot of bearing when lawmakers are banning you.

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