TikTok CEO Shou Chew has been in several meetings with President-Elect Donald Trump to discuss the fate of the platform. 170 million American users are engaged on the TikTok social media platform. There is some rather significant gamesmanship afoot as things come to a head.
The U.S. legislative branch created a law banning TikTok if Chinese interests retained ownership. Joe Biden signed the law, and the Supreme Court delivered a final “per curium” opinion [SEE HERE] saying the law did not violate any constitutional limitations about government control on speech.
TikTok has not negotiated a deal to sell the platform to a non-Chinese entity. In an effort to soften the political backlash from angered domestic users of the platform, Joe Biden has attempted to hand the TikTok controversy to President Trump by saying the U.S. government (DOJ, SEC, Etc.) would not enforce the fines and accountability measures within the law.
On Friday TikTok CEO Sou Chew thanked President Trump for his support. Hours later TikTok announced it would go dark on Sunday. “Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.”
Is TikTok actually going to shut down or is Sou Chew playing the role of ‘Sad Panda’ creating a highly public optic that presents President Trump as saving the platform. Because we are essentially dealing with the Beijing mindset here, the latter is a strong possibility.
President-elect Trump said he will work something out. TikTok CEO Shou Chew will be attending the inauguration on Monday.
There’s something very Art of The Deal-ish afoot!
Not a fan of social media, but I am against freedom of choice.
Especially when the choice is something the US Intel community does not have it’s slimy tentacles into.
It does not matter if you or I are a fan of the platform.
The problem is that Free Speech paramount in this nation but the Uniparty only wants to blame “national security concerns” on Tik Tok.
When they need to violate our Rights they always blame it on “national security” or “emergency”.
You are “against” freedom of choice? Not according to your second statement. Sounds like you are against limiting our God given freedoms codified by the US Constitution.
“That should have been “against limiting freedom of choice”, but I cannot edit comment after someone replies to it.
That was quite obvious. Comment by Judith was not kind. I’m sure she will apologize.
I clarified a comment that the poster could no longer edit. Why is that unkind? I’m sure he wanted his position to be clear. And I agree with his position.
Also not a fan of social media, whether it’s American or whatever else. It’s all brain-rot. Also not against freedom of choice. If someone wants to subject themselves to a foreign influence medium, well, that’s kinda the whole internet isn’t it? Banning a Chinese platform quickly becomes a slippery slope where more and more foreign platforms get censored until we wind up just as shut-in and ignorant as China itself.
Kind of like stealing certain countries’ currency reserves!
Also like taking countries off the Swift system.
Bingo! And tell me again when and where the “limit” to this type of encroachment will end?
The only “legitimate” reason I see that would “justify” a shut down of Tic Toc is that our gubmit can’t censor it – or – force it to spew the propaganda it may wish for us, We The People, to see and hear. Otherwise, while once again playing the “fear” card, it appears we are again opening Pandora’s box…
Tick-Tock… More to come.
It could be shut down on Sunday and all of the participants of Tik Tok can be furious with Pedo Joe and his team. Tik Tok users spend their lives on Tik Tok.
On Sunday PDJT can announce that he is talking with Mr. Sou Chew. On Monday PDJT can announce that a deal has been struck and that Free Speech is allowed in the USA and the concerns about “spying” (ha ha) have been/will be addressed so that Americans still have the right to free speech and that will not be censored any longer.
Stephen Miller had a talk with that Marth MacCallum (?) person the other day discussing this problem.
I see a lot of differences of opinion on this. A lot.
TikTok lost almost every single argument it made.
This is a 9-0 ruling. That sends a resounding message.
TikTok’s data collection practices are insane. The app gather data that other apps normally consider off limits, including the content of users’ private messages, and the full contents of a user’s device contacts.
It’s the last part that concerned the SCOTUS justices the most. If you have an email contact who has a TikTok account, China has your name, email, and possibly your phone number, photo, and more.
Chinese law requires its social media companies (including TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance) to “assist or cooperate” with the Chinese government’s “intelligence work” and to ensure that the Chinese government has “the power to access and control private data.”
Congress and the FBI worry that this info (and more) could be used for espionage or to compile blackmail dossiers on elected officials or government employees. All 9 SCOTUS justices agree that the need to prevent espionage overrules any First Amendment concerns.
You should have stopped watching those stupid dancing videos months ago.
So you’re in favor of the ban?
I’m just presenting a pro-ban argument that’s out there.
I’m not in favor of the ban, but I also don’t believe I have all the information I should have, to fully understand the issues.
Well, ironically, every point you made regarding why Tic Toc “needs” to be shut down is already being utilized today by your own government; Think Patriot Act, the Snowden reveal, etc.
So what’s a guy (or gal) to do??? Interesting times, indeed.
There is no argument for banning any media platform. Period!
Generally, I agree with you. The more free speech the better. This is obviously a contentious issue. But what does Tik Tok actually bring to the table? Definitely, another outlet for speech, but at the same time it’s clearly an intelligence-gathering and propaganda tool for the Chinese.
Ten years ago, there was no Tik Tok. But it’s obvious that the Chinese saw the debate in the U.S. about freedom of speech, when Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and others were suppressing conservative views, and they decided to exploit that, by creating Tik Tok.
Tik Tok is really Chinese intervention into an American argument over freedom of speech, and I don’t think anyone is going to argue that the Chinese really care about freedom of expression. They want to sow division. So I don’t see banning Tik Tok as cutting off the be-all and end-all of free speech. We really don’t need it. But if it cuts back on Chinese intervention into U.S. culture and politics, I’m okay with it.
That is a well balanced, rational and mature view. And one that PDJT has also seemingly adopted in his proposed “90 day” investigative pause.
Some safety concerns do override free speech. This has been tested in court.
Examples – you can’t yell fire in a theater, just because you want to say it, without being convicted of a crime. People with security clearances are bound to not speak of certain things. Proprietary business information has limits on disclosure.
TikTok’s practices are a national security concern. America is not here to be harvested by China. Any communist Chinese control or power in America is a national security concern.
I can see your point. But I can also see why the US Government wants to be the only one that does the spying on Americans and also, stifle their legal free speech rights.
I wonder why they did not pass a ban on China buying land next to military bases? Isn’t that a major national security concern?
They also opened our borders and let millions of illegal Chinese men into this country? What did they do about that? Nothing.
They have allowed chain migration of Chinese people into this country without any pushback.
They allowed Chinese spy balloons to float over this country for days. Nothing done about that national security threat.
Allowing their very pregnant women enter the USA so that they can have their babies here and become dual citizens?
Their upset over TikTok does not impress me one bit.
I’m upset about any communist Chinese influence in America. Communist China has no good intentions for and in America. What has been allowed is treason.
We are a nation, with a foundational identity, and we have the right and obligation to define and teach that identity to our citizens and our children.
Make Civics Great Again.
The Communist Chinese bought American Pork Producer, Swift. It is hard to find any bacon without a link to Swift.
Buy local, there are still small meat packing companies that sell all kinds of meat products.
Our small local farmers need us, support them first, foremost.
I think it’s owned by Brazillian-controlled JBS S.A.
Smithfield
Check again, but I think that is a China owned company.🤷🏻♀️
Yep, China owned.
It is difficult, but there are other pork producers distributed at my local stores. I always check the labels. Seems like the last one I found was from Washington state.
President Clinton allowed the transfer of scientific information from Alamos Lab by Chineses spy.
He did this for money too.
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Excellent points. Stuff that needs to be stopped.
Meanwhile, TikTok is poisonous. If it’s shut down I see this as no more of a threat to “free speech” than closing a dangerous road where there are other roads to use would be to freedom to travel.
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That argument that one cannot yell “Fire” in a theater is FALSE. It was part of the opinion of Oliver Wendell Holmes in Schenck vs. US, but that case has been limited by a later case (Brandenburg vs Ohio) that said that speech is illegal if it “incites immediate lawless action”. You can yell “Fire” in a theater if you believe that there is a fire or there definitely is a fire.
Perhaps you could reread what I wrote – “you can’t yell fire in a theater, just because you want to say it…”
Problem?
Yup. Problem. That is not the legal application. You can yell Fire in a theater just because you want to say it if there is nobody in the theater. You can yell Fire in a theater just because you want to say it if there is actually a fire in the therter.
This is not meant to be a personal attack. The phrase you use is a well worn cliché given weight by its original appearance in a sober court decision. In truth it describes an act of terror intended to result in the immediate death and injury of innocents.
I am tired of its overuse. Should we ban the collection of data as much as possible YES. let the purveyors of mental gadgets find other funding sources then selling our secrets. Perhaps some information has to be shared within the app for functionality but lets keep a light touch on that and have line by line check offs instead of a giant eula.
Think about this does Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Norton, and a million other sell your information to China directly or indirectly…….Yepp no doubt about it. Your picture biological data, political leanings and sexual bent are on the desks of bureaucrats everywhere. Yes even in that special file titled “nomedia”
If they’re violating data collection laws, then that’s worth a ban. If TikTok is willing to dial-back the intrusiveness, then the ban could be lifted. But it sounds like they’re deeply committed to harvesting as much of westerners’ data as possible.
All I can say is that at least the Chinese are more open an honest about it! I hate the CCP, but the US govt has done all of that with Facebook, Twitter, likely Signal, Thor, now Telegram, and others. EVERY single one of these is a trap.
JC1974: I agree with you. The US Gubmint doesn’t want China horning in on the US Gubmint’s territory.
These practices are no different than WhatsApp and Samsung Galaxy phones do.
Clarion: The US Gubmint is doing the same thing.
Well, users know that, at least now they will. So if they want to allow that information to be collected by the Chinese, stupid as that is, who are we to stop them?
Just absolve me and other non-users from any having to cover their losses, financial or otherwise, should these disclosures lead to undesirable results.
I feel the same way about alcohol abuse and recreational drug use – use them all you want, but when the inevitable “piper” comes for his pay, don’t expect me to cover your expenses, your rehab, or anything else. This is an instance in which the “your body, your choice” tagline should hold true.
TikTok should continue unaltered. The government is simply upset because they cannot gain backdoor access. The government has pimped all social media platforms to manipulate messaging like an authoritarian banana republic threatened by the truth.
I think a major concern is that our younger Americans are being brainwashed by and for a communist country.
The intel community wants to decide what brainwashing our children receive.
Yes, our very own Intel community members (the bad guys) want to keep their monopoly on info the US receives through Operation Mockingbird. They also want to be the sole capturer of all user’s data.
Remember, Facebook was initially developed by DARPA as Life Log. It was not developed by some curly haired wonder boy college dropout.
This is part of the battle against the enemy within. It ties in with President Trump’s prior statement of the enemy within is a far greater threat than any foreign adversaries.
I can’t help but think that the good guys are now in control of the turntable and are in control of the music. I hear when President Trump is at Mar-A-Lago, he grabs the iPad and becomes the DJ for the evening.
I would love to dance to some Trump DJ’ed tunes!
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Who will Trump get dancing to the MAGA beat for the next four years, only the Lord knows?
Y-M-C-A
If the Intel community weren’t anti-America totalitarians themselves, that argument might hold water. But they are. So it doesn’t.
Judith: Well said!
Is the brainwashing going on in our schools and colleges any different than what TikTok is doing? Should we ban those now that we’re banning TikTok? Just wondering?
Clarion: America’s youth are brainwashed, regardless of who is doing the brainwashing.
Tik-Tokers moving to RedNote — much worse chicom control.
RedNote aka XiaoHongShu(Little Red Book). Literally a Maoist reference
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Just because our own government does offensive data collection — that at least we might have some ability to rectify –doesn’t mean we should roll over and let dangerous foreign governments — over which we have absolutely no control — also do it.
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I think you’re getting lost in the I Spy weeds. Come on over to the Truth in social media weeds.
US gubmint controls all the major media platforms, both mainstream and social media. Censorship on these platforms is a given. Zuckerberg was just complaining about this.
Not so TikTok. And THAT is why people prefer it. Our tyrannical gubmint is practically BEGGING American citizens to find a foreign news source for real information.
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You think the vast majority of users are on TikTok because they have a clue about what is or is not controlled by “our tyrannical gubmint”? Really? I’d be interested in seeing a cite to the study from which you formed this opinion.
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People can distinguish real news from propaganda. It’s not all that complicated.
TikTok allows users to share any content they please.
Donald Trump was never banned on TikTok like he was on all the USA platforms. Everyone is able to see Donald Trump’s posts on TikTok, along with any other users that are banned and censored elsewhere.
Do you really not know these things? Or are you pretending not to know how bad the US gubmint censorship has gotten?
A few years ago, Tik Tok did not exist. It seems pretty apparent that the Chinese saw the debate in the U.S. over censorship of conservative views in social media and saw a propaganda opportunity to intervene in an American debate. Hence, Tik Tok.
It’s not debatable that Tik Tok advances CCP propaganda, as that’s what its original intention was. Tik Tok is not about advancing American free speech, it’s about advancing Chinese propaganda, and I don’t think the First Amendment is going to melt away simply because Tik Tok goes away.
There is already far too much Chinese influence in American culture and government, and I don’t think banning even more of it is a bad thing.
I think you’ll change your mind if you research the differences in content offered on TikTok China and TikTok America.
The American one is all about brainwashing and degeneracy and the Chinese one is all about education, fun and patriotism.
It’s simply a CCP weapon. No question about it.
Sadly, everyone seems to do that. Americans are viewed as degenerates who are simply not worthy of the high quality foods and news sources that other nations enjoy.
Food processors, in particular, must remove the poisons in order to sell their products overseas. When they sell their products here in the USA, they intentionally put those poisons back in. Because here, anything goes.
And why should they care about us if we don’t care about ourselves?
Can we agree that the TikTok dancing doctor has to go? I won’t say where she should go.
Here’s a Jan 3rd Truth Social post by President Trump:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113762718646858742
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
Jan 3
Why would I want to get rid of TikTok?
That makes sense.
TikTok is an asset to Trump as he points out in this post you reference.
And in the post Trump asks rhetorically : “Why would I want to get rid of TikTok?”
Clearly, Trump is not worried about TikTok as a Chinese weapon.
as I recall.citric man Himself first highlighted problems with knok knok and wanted em banned.
what’s His “cut” to keep em in fusa (unlike ccp/pooh people who Ban them)?
Tik Tok is no more a Chinese weapon than any of our corrupt government weenies on the take from Chyna, using the information hoovered up from multiple sources.
The issue for the current US Government, is the IC, have no back door access into Tik Tok, like they do with Google, Microsoft, Facebook/Meta, Instagram, Youtube, etc. Therefore they cannot remove or restrict information they want removed or restricted. Such as MAGA, well, anything.
For starters…
TikTok is actually an immense library of how-to skills delivered without the tedious youtube fluff.
For example, it will show in 30 seconds the essential point, rather than taking 5 or 15 minutes or 3 hours.
Chinese kids use it for math, science, tech, and such while Americans are encouraged to abuse the platform.
It’s easy to use, compared to darn near needing a full studio for youtube. It appears to be phone-based rather than needing expensive filming gear, computer mixing, etc.
Plus, I might add, apparently it’s dissident and MAGA friendly, thus an enemy of the State.
Thou dost hyperbole too much. I don’t need a ‘full studio’ to do anything on the internet. The tools are all the same to view anything, anywhere, anytime.
Agreed. For example, GarandThumb’s videos are shot on an iPhone. YouTube is disruptive to traditional media that needs those things, and traditional media that tries to take the same model to YouTube typically fails (reinvention of G4TV).
The other benefits I don’t know, I won’t use it. I will open videos people send me in browser from time to time, but maybe it’s my peer group or whatever but it isn’t educational.
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TikTok content is regulated in China. What Chinese kids see is nothing like what Amrican kids see. Stop shilling for the CCP.
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IMO, Tik Tok IS being used by CCP as a vehicle to insert the very malware that Christopher Wray claims has infiltrated our critical infrastructure.
Unfortunately, our OWN Ne’erDoWells in DC will use this as an excuse to further erode our First Amendment right to Free Speech, and limit our access to information that exposes their perfidy.
In short, we’re about to “Throw the Baby Out With the Bathwater”
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No, the baby will just go use a different bathtub. E.g. Rumble. Nothing is lost.
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Kill it. It is nothing more than a cover for CCP data collection on Americans. Just because some people have become addicted to the scheme doesn’t mitigate against its demise. Use another platform. An American platform. Oh, and you know darned well that most TT users would have abandoned TT overnight if its CEO had endorsed Trump. So screw them.
Oh, and as for the crocodile tears being shed for Oracle and other American businesses that make money servicing TT, well, they know the CCP is using TT to gather Americans’ data and info, but it doesn’t stop them, does it? Screw them too.
But here’s the rub. Even if TT goes dark until sold to an American owner, what is to stop that American owner from continuing to sell/give all the data to the CCP? Don’t American companies already collect it and hand it over?
Just kill TT. Let it go dark permanently.
Why did Congress not address the national security concerns of the Chinese buying land next to military bases, the selling of manufacturing secrets to China starting in the Clinton years, the removal of our manufacturing industries to China, spy balloons belonging to China floating over the USA for days, the millions of young military aged Chinese men over our borders, and the tourism births by Chinese women over the decades making their children dual citizens?
Because the multinational corporations that bought and paid for the senators and congressmen to support their new globalist fascism were making money selling out America. This started decades ago.
Of course! The USA has been for sale for decades. They used to have to pretend that they cared about us but when the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are people then our “representatives” found it more appealing to sell themselves to the big money donors.
This is my sentiment exactly while watching the Senate hearings on the approval process for Trump’s cabinet.
I would have responded to Democrat Senator’s:
Where were you when these very things that you are so concerned with now, were happening under your President Biden?
Where were the hearings about weaponization of the DOJ? Etc????
Correct. I’d add it didn’t stop Cisco from making the Great Firewall for China.
“But here’s the rub. Even if TT goes dark until sold to an American owner, what is to stop that American owner from continuing to sell/give all the data to the CCP? Don’t American companies already collect it and hand it over?”
Ahhhhh, but the intel community doesn’t have it’s implants in it getting it’s cut of the data. Also, look at an adjacent industry like video games. Why no similar efforts there if this is about data collection?
https://www.tencentgames.com/introduce.html
https://www.visiontimes.com/2021/07/30/how-the-chinese-government-controls-tencent-the-seventh-largest-company-in-the-world.html
“Three members of the company’s Discipline Inspection Commission and 11 members of the Party Committee are all core executives. Plus, the company also has 724 part-time and 10 full-time party officials.” That we know of!
“but the intel community doesn’t have it’s implants in it getting it’s cut of the data”
Yes it does. Everything transmitted digitally, over the internet or otherwise, is captured and stored indefinitely by the NSA, which is then subject to subject searches. If all your contacts are transmitted to Oracle and passed on to China, NSA gets them in BOTH transmissions.
Waive hello.
Zuckerberg appreciates your opinion.
Kill it. It’s the only way to get Bytedance to sell. But: “Rednote” needs to be considered for banning too
Rednote(Little) Red Book
FIFY.
Why the fake concern about China when they have been building them up all along in a “Best Enemy Money Can Buy” scenario?
During the sordid & treasonous Clinton Administration years, they accepted tens of millions of illegal campaign contributions from China, which helped to stop the America First campaign of Pat Buchanan in the GOP Primaries, and keep the Uniparty Hegelian Dialectic political system in place, while facilitating the outsourcing of American manufacturing out of the country and creating the current China. They also gave them guidance missile tech.
It’s been treason against our country and peoples for a long time, but greatly accelerated by the Council On Foreign Relations controlled Bush,Clinton,Obama,Biden dynasties.
The Great Betrayal – How China Turned Red
https://theamericancitadel.com/2019/09/01/the-great-betrayal-how-china-turned-red/
Wow. Thank you very much for sharing that, Colkitto. I have always believed that FDR was a very sketchy person, but wow; treasonous traitor.
I am glad you enjoyed the read friend. Great & interesting times are coming. Be well and Slainte
You are right on the money once again.
I’m guessing this whole dispute is taking place to open our eyes to a much larger “control” issue. A control issue that we are being liberated from.
Part of the awakening.
President Trump brings up an issue and it inevitably opens our eyes to a much larger issue. Sometimes it’s an issue that we didn’t even realize until he brings it up. As an example, he says “why the hell do we still have a thing called NATO and why is the US the biggest funder of it?”
Morning my friend,
If you did not know, I was very tuned into the 1996 Gop Primaries and elections, and paid close attention to the ChinaGate high treason and the Uniparty sabotage of Reagan’s speechwriter,adviser, and friend Pat Buchanan’s America First campaign. The China money was used to sabotage Pat and to get their Council On Foreign Relations Made man, Billy Boy Clinton into a second term so he could finish off his treason with China. CFR made man Speaker Newtie greatly facilitated all of it. It was my redpill understanding the Uniparty Hegelian Dialectic political system of “Democracy” here. Fake R vs Fake D. Thanks to PDJT, most of Heritage America & many in the world see it. Cheers
It’s Tic Toc’s fault when the wrong person wins the election.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/?s=romania
The Totalitarians understand that control of the media and money supply in a “Democracy” masks their soft dictatorship from being exposed. In addition the more “multicultural” it is, the harder it is for the slaves to focus on those truly responsible and unite.
Interesting that you mention slavery here.
I think all the attention given to freeing African Americans from slavery has been used to disguise that we have all become slaves.
It’s the very same process taking place here in the discussion about China and Tic Toc. Focus on banning Tic Toc and the “evil Chinese control” of it so we don’t notice “the real evil control” of all other media and social media platforms.
On the money sir!
The problem is that everything you do on the net is like broadcasting it on the JumboTron in Times Square. Was told that by an uncle who worked on the origination of the net decades ago.
Day is done….adios…..sayonara…..buenos muerte…..tot vie ein turnagel….
I wonder what happened to the Kevin O’Leary bid:
Kevin O’Leary Discusses Bid to Take Over TikTok
By Margaret Flavin
13 Jan 2025
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/01/kevin-oleary-discusses-bid-take-tiktok/
Isn’t he Canadian?
People have no idea what Trump is up to but have no compunction but to take away the TikTok bargaining “chip” ! Do I think that the Chinese should not have access to our BIG DATA, yes! China is a treat to any decent government. They are brutal, savage and killers! They have savaged their own population for a millennia!
However, once again, the Supreme court has taken away a bargaining chip as they did when DACA was being used by Trump to facilitate the closing of the border for good. In the middle of a substantive negotiation with the Dems, Roberts with a simple statement led us to where we are today! The negotiations collapsed when he stated that DACA was legal!
DACA just took a beating as UNCONSTITUTIONAL by the Federal Appeals Court.
Good. DACA became an issue afterPresident Trump sat down to a meeting with a bunch of Big Tech types who started whining about their workers with uncertain “immigration status”.
Suddenly concern for the poor widdle Dreamers was paramount, and amnesty was even on the table.
Nobody wants to believe there was a connection, everybody tried to bring Nancy Pelosi into it, but the facts are that simple.
Big Tech has been calling the shots for quite some time and they still are.
Who cares! Let it go! Invent an American version if it’s so popular!
Bingo!
The only reason to ban tiktok is related to the lack of US.IC control over user surveillance.. There I said it and yes I meant it..
“saying the U.S. government (DOJ, SEC, Etc.) would not enforce the fines and accountability measures within the law.”
Typical Democrat. He took an oath to faithfully enforce the laws. C’mom, man! It’s just a meaningless oath!
Let it go dark. Let there be chaos. The Uniparty has made it so.
None of these tech oligarchs are our friends, including Chinese.
The Surveillance State is not our friend.
This trap was set for Trump. No need to walk blindly into it.
I am no fan of TikTok …. but … Look at the big picture .. this case was not so much about TikTok as it was establishing a standard and precedent for the FUTURE banning of media outlets of any type … the Government does not like.
There is not a single Constitutional issue raised by the government … just the standard of; national security, foreign ownership involvement and harmful content to users. The courts refused to comment vs the defendants claims of due process and 1st Amendment RIGHTS. In other words … the Supreme Court regulated and did NOT rule on the basis of a Constitutional Issue.
Think of ALL the vile and political media outlets and causes that the the courts have allowed to survive due to 1st Amendment and due process RIGHTS…over the past 75+ years.
There is not a single outlet that does NOT meet this criteria…all that is needed is the Government to declare a ban by this new standard.
Sure sure .. TikTok will live on in some sort of form … a deal by the President … but the precedent of banning is NOW in place.
President Trump is now being set up to do the Supreme Court’s job. Plus, if he veto’s the legislation or refuses the ban or maybe even makes a “deal” … the Russia Russia case of 2017 morphs into the China China case of 2024.
This doesn’t have anything to do with National Security; it has to do with the unwelcome first-hand news people can see in different parts of the world going against the narrative, and Zuckerberg wanting to get rid of a competitor.
The key benefit here is that a lot of Americans who don’t pay any attention to the machinations of the government are now seeing how cartoonish a lot of it is. See the Cotton debacle during the questioning of the CEO. Could’ve been a clip from some Salem Witch Trial Tribunal…”did you dance with the devil by the river!”, aka, “were you ever a member of the Communist party!!!””.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but can’t China just buy all the data they want from Zuck, and couldn’t TikTok be seen in the same light as TEMU, just the Chinese getting rid of the middleman?
“All while one publicly shared corporation is notorious for controlling propaganda so it can puppeteer elections by “ unethically” collecting our data.
One that I might add our congress members are legally allowed to have shares in its stock. ?
😳🥱
Not that I participate in social media, but it seems the users of Tik Tok are being offered a Hobson’s choice. Who do you want spying on you, the Communist Chinese or your own government? The IC doesn’t like competition and not being in control of violating your 4th amendment rights.
“So China can’t own an app in the US but the can own hundreds of thousands of acres of our farmland? Some of it even surrounding our military bases.” Yeah ok.
This TikTok issue is awakening my 14 year old grandson to political debate, constitution and Congress Critters. I’ve been able to help provide some information and he has concluded that Tom Cotton is a pocket-lining tool.
Your grandson sounds sharp.
It’s okay for the US government to gather tons of information on each of us. It is okay for Meta to track us and spy on us and our private messages which they turn over to the government whenever the government asks. It is okay for China to gather tons of information on each of us, but just not through TikTok from Sunday onward. It’s okay that China has already long ago gathered tons of information on TikTok users and their connections. It’s just that from Sunday forward, China can’t take any more through TikTok.
Congress is made up of a bunch of idiots who are doing this for optics…..because they aren’t making any money off TikTok so they can do this for optics “protecting the American people”. As if they cared. Which they don’t.
It all boils down to censorship to consolidate control over US citizens. The Leftists who control the USA have run our Constitutional Republic into the ground.
When US gubmint censored mainstream media, smart inquisitive US citizens shared truthful posts on social media platforms.
When the US gubmint censored mainstream media AND US social media platforms, smart inquisitive US citizens shared truthful posts on FOREIGN social media platforms.
And here we are.
Everyone allows the data mining. That’s beside the point. But the US gubmint goes one step further. The US gubmint does *not* allow truth to spread.
As per Hellary on Wikileaks, the US gubmint insists that we remain “unaware and compliant.”
UNAWARE = COMPLIANT.
I know you know but you know I know that you don’t care that I know you know.
You’re right. I don’t.
They are hoping everyone jumps over to Meta.
Their stock in Meta will make them lots more money.
Word on TikTok to the 170 million followers is to shut down their accounts on Meta, Instagram,
This never set right with me. Where does the US get off trying to force a foreign individual/group to sell their asset? If China tried forcing a US owned company to do the same, people in US would be beside themselves!
China forces any foreign company to give away their intellectual assets if they want to do manufacturing business in China.
This is a distraction. We have to stay focused on purging Satan from our government. Let the courts sort it out.
I’m a little confused by your post. You seem to imply that satan is embedded in our government and therefore needs to be purged from our government. But then you say; “let the courts sort it out”.
Aren’t the courts an equal branch of government and therefor also needing to be purged of Satan? Why would you trust the courts to sort it out?
‘Shark Tank’ Investor Kevin O’Leary Offers $20 Billion Cash to Buy China’s TikTok
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/01/18/shark-tank-investor-kevin-oleary-offers-20-billion-cash-buy-chinas-tiktok/
Find it rather humorous that they’re closing TikTok because its Chinese but we’ve had a Chinese ballon travel all over our country, Chinese communists parked in our every city and everyone knows China is gathering information like a grape picker does grapes. So, we get rid of the platform who we know is Chinese while hiding from everyone how deep China is even in legislation. Yeah right.
…along with this stand-alone funny within Sundance’s post:
“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.”
So a law is passed with no intention of enforcement and those who would be impacted negatively by the law are still concerned that someone might go ahead and enforce the law, so they demand further assurances that–fer SURE–the law will not be enforced.
The Biden Machine and the Chinese government continue to provide examples of their Very Special Relationship. Talk about Alice in Wonderland governance.
I agree with the SCOTUS ruling. Although there are probably multiple ways CCP apps are gathering data from American users we need to stop them when identified. Generally speaking I have no use for social media. Rumble is the only exception but mostly for what Bongino has to say.
I wonder if the timing of Tik Tok going dark has been arranged to keep bad actors from using Tik Tok to coordinate attacks on Trump, Trumpers, dignitaries, or even on DC buildings, as an anti-welcome on Trump’s first day or days.
Providing Trump learned from the first term, he had his transition team already scour for the DOJ replacement worker bees. Right after the inauguration, Meyrick Garland’s DOJ should receive immediately pink slips and replaced with Trump’s replacements. Otherwise, you will not be able to do much. They will be subverting every policy of the incoming administration every step of the way. They will treat it as a badge of honor. There is no saving grace here. Don’t kid yourself. They MUST go.
Q: What is the difference between Tic Toc and the Pied Piper?
A: Not much.
BREAKING: Biden Backpedals on TikTok Stance, While CEO Shou Zi Chew to Attend Republican Inauguration Amid Rumors of Elon Musk Acquisition – Gateway Hispanic
an aside: I’ve never seen that “Gateway Hispanic” reference before. Obviously, there’s some appeal to the Hispanic community, but why is it attached to the general info for Gateway Pundit? I certainly did not go to some non-English Gateway Pundit.
Viewpoint of a curmudgeon – If the entirety of the internet went away tomorrow the world would be a better place. All those “national security” concerns they use as the vehicle for their censorship would go away. Free speech would have to be spoken out loud and in front of actual human beings. Governments would have to confront the actual people they want to suppress, which wouldn’t go well in a country with first and second amendment rights.
I could go on……..
….and it would be good listening if you did!!
Yay, curmudgeons!
Thanks Sharon.
If they can turn it off in the USA, they can turn it back on again. Just a little political brinksmanship. That being said, I really don’t understand why Tik Tok is any better than YouTube, X, or any other video sharing site.
Strategically, I’d let it go dark for 2-3 weeks. Nobody’s really “suffering” (yeah, I know) yet. 2-3 weeks of cold turkey is 2-3 weeks of Trump steadfastly reminding Biden voters that they voted for the Tik Tok ban. Just like they voted for the Ukraine war, 20% inflation, the Gaza war, the Houthis war, illegal alien invasion, 13 dead US Marines in Afghanistan, forced masking, forced vaccinations, and a full on government censorship campaign.
And you know what? It’s just going to take a bit of time to undo all the damage…
In no way is Tik Tok a priority for the Trump Administration.
Let it go dark. Remind voters that Biden forced this on them. TURN THE SCREWS.
Then, a solution emerges. One that gives neither China nor the IC the ability to spy on users.
The Bernie Sanders part… lol
OMGosh, that was freakin’ hilarious!!! Thank you for the laugh, SD! God bless you!🙏😇❤️🤣🤣🤣
That kid is pretty good!
“Joe Biden has attempted to hand the TikTok controversy to President Trump by saying the U.S. government (DOJ, SEC, Etc.) would not enforce the fines and accountability measures within the law.”
Whatever happened to faithfully execute ?
Wicked Deep State Control or Wicked ChiCom Control?
Hitler or Stalin?
A: Lord Jesus, we seize all these platforms for Your Kingdom, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Deuteronomy 11:24
Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be your’s: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
Well now we have a new problem. People for whatever reason are flocking to another CCP owned app called Rednote. I had never heard of it until the media mentioned it. As of though the CCP aligned media was pointing a giant arrow to all the suckers whining about TikTok.
I support such things that make President Trump/MAGA look good. 😁👍🏻❤️
Wall Street Apes
@WallStreetApes
Former Wall Street broker Ross Mandell says the Los Angeles Pacific Palisades fires were planned
“I’m gonna shock you. People from BlackRock are going door to door offering to buy homes. — This is highly organized”
“You think this happened by accident? The dams have been emptied by Governor Newsom for no good reason. The hydrants are empty for no good reason.”
“Three months ago, state Farm, the big insurer in LA, just happened to cancel everybody’s fire policies because the governor decided not to allow State Farm to increase their prices. So people now have no insurance. Do you think this happened by accident?”
“BlackRock is going door to door, making offers now for cash generous. They want to take everybody’s homes. This is the business they’re in. It’s not as secret. This has been highly organized” important off subject
Will Chew be sitting next to Musk?
What right does Biden have to circumvent the law by saying, “Yeah, it’s a law with fines and enforcements, but we won’t follow that.” Oh, wait, that’s what he did the entire 4 years he was in office.
Bibi wants TikTok banned in America for wrong opinions about Israel. That’s what this is really about. I say screw ’em. We have free speech here and I oppose any entity trying to curtail my speech.