this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025
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The number of people in the comments celebrating censorship by our own government while also claiming China is authoritarian is insane.
Both can be true. I'm against banning TikTok, but I also think TikTok is absolutely terrible and nobody should use it. China is authoritarian, and this ban by the US is wrong. I say this as an American.
Why is it terrible? Have you ever even been on it? Most people I've encountered that say it's terrible or it's brain rot or something along those lines have never even been on it, they're simply parroting what they've heard other people say
I've seen people scrolling on it their whole time on public transportations on materials worse than the worst of TV commercials, like they were in a trance. I know people who using it for at lease an hour every day before bed, and admitting they don't know what they get from it, just boredom. From what I know, it's like brainwashing for people who don't know what to do with their lives.
They could listen to a Joe Rogan podcast the exact same way. They're on public transport, what the fuck else are they going to do but look at their phone or listen to something with headphones?
I have to admit, you are right. If there is nothing been stuffed into their minds, most people really don't know what to do with themselves, just like Montag's wife from Fahrenheit 451. But there are differences between actively seek something you interested in than going blank and let the algorithms do the job for you. I thought people in Fediserse mostly against the idea of the latter. Otherwise, you will go to Tiktok or something.
Once you've spent some time the algorithm learns what you like. For example my feed is a lot of indie music, civil rights, and table top role-playing stuff. Once it gets enough information on the stuff you like you don't really need to do more than swipe past the ads.
So you have your nose so far up in their business you know exactly what app they're watching and what type of materials they're consuming? I'm going to wager none of the things that you just claimed you've ever witnessed
I know that advertisers love that TikTok knows when a user desires your product. I wonder why they can target you so well? All state sponsored social media, X and Meta and company as well as TikTok, should be avoided if you don't want corporations and capitalists and authoritarians having that much information about you. If you hate corporations trying to sell you things, maybe don't use a dopamine and social habit tracking app that's designed to sell ads to play on your fears
I have never received targeted advertising on tiktok. I can't remember the last time I had seen an ad on there.
oh bless your heart 😌
Apologies for the southern passive aggressiveness, but I believe you may not notice how much content is an ad
I'm doubting you've ever been on there
Why, don't you know there's a thing called observation?
There's also this thing called making the shit up
Looks like where your heart truly belong is Mao's China or Stalin's Russia. You've commented quite a lot of things.
How do you know heroin is bad for you? Have you tried it? You can't say it's bad unless you've tried it.
Where do I begin:
Other SM apps do 2 and 3, but that doesn't mean TikTok is okay, it means those other apps are also terrible.
Where's the evidence then?
I'm guessing you're talking about the first point, so I looked into it and it seems China only owns a "golden share" (1%?), which doesn't seem big enough to really cause problems. That said, I don't know much about Chinese business, so maybe there's still something there. But that's just speculation, not evidence.
That said, that doesn't change my opinion of it being terrible, because the last two points still stand. They also apply to domestic social media apps as well.
I'll repeat it again, I don't think it should be banned, but I also don't think anyone should use it.
That's the thing, the last time the government did something this sweeping without showing it's evidence, me and a few hundred thousand of my best buddies got sent to Iraq.
Banning a SM app is nothing like declaring a War on Terror. For the record, I opposed both, as well as the War in Afghanistan. I'm sorry you were sent to fight in a pointless war.
Oh I'm not saying the damage is equivalent. But generally the government needs to show it's work in a democracy, if we want to keep the democracy.
People aren't as principled as they like to think they are.
Aww man, the government here won't let me use the reeducation of undesirables as a smokescreen to produce fast fashion in my chattel-slavery styled sweat-shops :(
Wah wahh
Are they banning temu?
censorship??? there are a ton of other apps that do the same. China censors people and created a credit # for them to punish them if they dont act they way the gov wants you to act. What are u on about?
An app has been shut down on the unsubstantiated claims that it was a tool of foreign influence but on the apparent reasoning that it was facilitating conversations that western social media is hostile to such as the Israeli extermination of Palestinians.
Palestine and Gaza were specifically cited by congresspeople as an inspiration and justification for the ban. It is plainly censorship. That's not really debatable.
Whether or not you believe that the censorship was reasonable or if there is sufficient evidence of subversive foreign influence using the platform is possibly debatable, but the fact that it is censorship is not.
Omg china has a credit # for their people? Thats evil! Good thing we dont have a Credit Score in the freedom country. And yeah its not censorship if you can get around it! Especially if its shutting people’s communication down for our freedom and safety 😎🦅🇺🇸
Ours is an actual credit system based on money not theirs.. they want to control and brainwash you and I gotta say they are doing an amazing job! In a few days this app will be gone hopefully! Also if it was about money they would have sold it they didn't cause they know its a tool they need to keep brainwashing people.
Why don't you go on rednote and ask them about social credit? They have a search function where you can see other posts tagged as much.
Google works better!
Instead of asking chinese people living in china about a system which supposedly exists in China, you'd rather just keep listening to western propaganda?
It just works better… you know what I asked it??? Well here is the answer - * TikTok may be banned in the U.S. by the end of this weekend.
So no, instead of getting a primary source, you're just gonna stick with people who have never been to china and wouldn't have a job if they said positive things about China?
You can lead a horse to water...
Water???? More like fire
You clearly dont even know what their system is. Their only “credit system” is the sesame seed thing that two of the big companies use its not a government thing punishing you for wrongthink. Also to think we’re not brainwashed in the US is ridiculous.
America and China are the two most propagandized countries but at least they have the excuse of not being the most powerful country for the last century while still actively committing multiple genocides and denying their citizens healthcare or housing.
You live in china? If not you should move there!
Says the person that is clueless on the Chinese credit system
Tell me how great tik tok is and how great the chinese credit system is…. Pls
It's no one's job but your own to filter through propaganda. And everything you've claimed is propaganda.
Bye tik tok
It's not going anywhere
You must have a lot invested in that particular shitposting app.
You don't have to attach yourself to everything you enjoy. It's okay to leave yourself some wiggle rook to learn and grow.
I have learned and grown way more on tiktok content than I have in public education or any other social media app.
Tiktok = brain rot
Tiktok, like anything else, is what you make of it.
And everyone else that I've heard with that same sentiment has never even been on it.
This right here - if you ever use TikTok, you really quickly realize why it's so successful. To deny its success is just plain willful ignorance.
I'm Canadian, but so much of the content I consume is from Americans so I hope it stays.