Tik Tok has caused a lot of controversy over the last couple of months, to the point where some states are even considering banning the app and are proposing new laws and regulations in order to prohibit people from using it. Tik Tok is a popular app which people use in order to make videos about absolutely anything while following app guidelines. This doesn’t necessarily seem to be the issue, the major allegations that are persuading people to take action and take this up to the legislation is the Byte Dance, which is improper access to personal information of several US citizens. This just explains how the Chinese Government may have access to sensitive data users if he ever gets the information placed into his hands. As if we haven’t seen other apps come up with similar guidelines and policies such as Tik Tok, why is it a threat and a crime now? I believe there are several ways we can go about this act, and some of the solutions being represented all lie within the decision of the states because while it may be a threat to others, it is a source of entertainment for the people.
Jaylynn Alvarado
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I believe that this topic is rather controversial. While the US believes that the app provides personal data to the Chinese government, it is rather ironic considering the background of personal data collection that is the primary funding of internationally used American applications (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat). Silicon Valley has pioneered the use of data collection for selling to third parties while using this information for targeted advertisements. The banning of TikTok highlights the competition in data collection that the US may see against China.
Fast fashion, notably Shein, has impacted and exploited society in various aspects. First, such massive corporations focusing on the low cost of sold products (a result of labour violations), exploit audiences that cannot afford alternative brands. Second, they exploit the societal norm of obsolescence. Third, they violate labour laws by extremely low wages and no wages at all to their employees. Lastly, they are ignorant of the environmental impacts they have resulting from massive amounts of excess clothing disposed of as waste.
While shopping at such low prices is possible from labour law violations, the continual purchase by customers is furthering their culture of inequity to their workers and normalises this culture on a far-reaching international scale. Other corporations may deem this as a negligent violation in the eyes of consumers and may use this practice further for their financial benefit.
Although I do not shop at Shein, I do find myself shopping at other brands that are considered fast fashion. While the company is to blame, consumers are also fuelling their continued corruption. We must push for equitable and labour-positive companies to outcompete current companies.
the tiktok ban is interesting as the proposed reasoning behind it is a national security issue, but not everybody has access to the secrets they fear being stolen, so perhaps on government devices
I think that a lot of fear from this popular app in undeserved. I feel like it is a lot of the American social media companies are lobbying the government to ban the app because it is such a fierce competitor. Overall, it is not dangerous to us, but the other social media companies.
Security concerns aside, I also believe that excessive TikTok consumption poses a public health crisis. I feel that repetitive doom scrolling can play a role in developmental delay, antisocial behaviors, and other vices. With moderation and regulation, I believe that TikTok could also be a great tool for community outreach, formation of social groups, humor, etc. While it has its vices, if used properly, can be a great thing to use!
I think people might be taking it as a threat because it’s such a popular app in the US but not created by the US, so I think its a lot of power struggles or trying to establish back some power. I just think things are advancing now and tik tok is one of them and we should continue to let the most interesting ideas win. What I mean by that is if someone creates something and it becomes he next big thing, then why try and stop it, if anything it’s helping to almost advance the world and steer towards new ideas.
As somebody who uses Tik Tok and other social media frequently, I do wonder what these platforms do with our information. It would not surprise me to learn if these companies are selling our information to the government and such. Whenever I get in my car, the maps on my phone will suggest places to go, such as my job, work, or my house, and even has them appropriately labeled. I have never marked these locations in my phone nor labeled them so it scares me knowing my phone can figure out that information.
Tiktok is a harmful app to the public due to its addictive nature. Young people, teens especially can become addicted to the app taking away their socialization and their study time. The app is desired to keep people engaged, so they are unaware of how much time is spent scrolling the app. They are also exposed to potentially harmful and triggering content as there are rarely restrictions on what cannot be posted. On top of this, China also collects and sells data which contributes to personalized algorithm. If interested in the wrong content, it will be shown more frequently which has the potential to influence people in negative ways.
Personally, I believe tiktok is incredibly harmful to its users, especially young people. Other apps take data from users for advertisement purposes, however, TikTok is designed primarily to the users likes and interest from the data they provide when using the app. Aside from China having access to users information, the app is designed to keep people engaged for hours. This keeps people away from their hobbies, friends, work, and schoolwork. For the better mental health of Americans, this app should be banned or the algorithm completely redesigned.
I believe that Tiktok had become a threat for 2 main reasons. First of all, the reach that this app allows for, videos can go viral and receive billions of views. Also, the trending state of the app encourages more and more people to join the app everyday which can result in someone from the other side of the globe getting to watch your video. Secondly, the transparency on that app is outstanding, I would say. It is just shocking to see how real people can get on that app, or how honest and brave they can be when sharing information they want to be heard and known to mostly spread awareness, but also to share their story or of others to allow for a sense or relatable ness for others who may be dealing with something similar to not feel as if they’re alone in this. I believe that both of these things combined are what intimidates people of power, or in politics, like government officials because they don’t want stuff that they do that they are not proud of, to be spreading through this app for people all around the world to learn about.
I’ve found and read the news article regarding TikTok admitting its employees have accessed users private data to track reporters’ physical movements and spy on reporters. Byte Dance was aiming to track down the journalist’s sources of information so as to investigate the leak of its internal conversation and business document happened earlier. I’d say TikTok was not and will not be the single case regarding accessing user’s information without user’s permission. There are lots of apps accessing location information or even recording user’s real-life conversations so as to gain information or sell information on their purpose, resulting in large amounts of user information circulating in black market. Another case I know is how the app “Weee” for purchasing Asian foods have leaked and sold user’s address and contact informations to fraud, who would then pretend as law-enforcement personnels, with the accurate personal information at their hands, in phone spams listing user’s “crime behaviors” to cheat fines out of the user’s pocket. I believe online information security and user’s privacy are of great care of users regarding which app to use, and accessing users data without permission does result in illegal behaviors and harm user’s benefits. Thus, there should definitely be legislations regulating app’s approaches and degrees regarding how they would access and use the information that users have input.
Despite the app Toktok being originally created as a music and video dancing app just for people’s entertainment, it has very much shifted from its original intended purpose to something so much greater. I don’t think anyone ever imagined that an app could be this powerful to our society as a whole world. It allows for communication and contact with people from all around the world, lives where people can message and ask questions to someone on live that can be from the complete other side of the globe. It is just crazy to think about the power that this app has, which is why I believe it is seen as a threat by many people, more so people with higher power I would say. It is so easy to make a video sharing something and posting it and can easily gain traction and even get billions of views. For this reason, is why it is probably seen as a threat because they don’t want people sharing things on social media that they don’t really want circulating.
I myself use TikTok as a source of entertainment whenever I get the chance. Personally I have not had any problems with the app myself, but there are many people who do use the app have had problems themselves. I think when it comes to privacy and apps having access to our data it would stir up some controversy and some backlash against the app itself. I think that it isn’t a good idea for a company to collect data on its users even if it is a popular app. I don’t think it is necessary and it just violates everyone’s right to privacy.
Tiktok as a platform is the fastest growing in terms of users that we have seen so far. I think the threat of its ever growing potential and the U.S.’s lack of control or position in its growth is what makes it seem as a threat to others. It is undeniable to many that one of the reasons that Tiktok is considered a threat is because of the Chinese background surrounding the app. However at face value the platform offers many ways to connect and socialize with a moderation team which is similar across all other social platforms. To say that Tiktok is a threat while other social apps are not is rooted in the fear of collection of data and other stereotypes of Chinese products.
As a college student, I find TikTok to be an incredibly engaging and entertaining platform. It has quickly become one of my favorite social media apps. It offers a refreshing break from my responsibilities, allowing me to unwind and learn a lot. Whether I’m discovering new trends, following inspiring creators, or even creating my own videos, TikTok provides a sense of community and connection that is both enjoyable and addictive. I don’t think it is a threat at all, if anything, we should be worried about other social media apps that take just as much or if not more information.
When it comes to discussing the issue of media platforms misusing user information, TikTok is often unfairly singled out as a potential threat due to concerns about the Chinese government’s involvement. However, this focus on TikTok may stem from biased views and comparisons to other platforms like YouTube and Instagram, which receive less scrutiny. It is important to recognize that there are numerous other platforms that feature fake advertisements that can harm users. Moreover, Facebook has faced legal action and settlements due to unauthorized selling of user information. Therefore, it is illogical to solely target a Chinese-developed app while ignoring the need to consider banning other media platforms that have violated our rights by selling our personal data. It is crucial to remember that our current apps have also engaged in the sale of our information, yet they do not face the same level of scrutiny. In fact, TikTok has demonstrated relatively fewer scams and, if anything, has been effective in disseminating news quickly, both in positive and negative ways.
TikTok is an app that has greatly impacted people’s lives within the last few years. Throughout COVID quarantine, it was one of the few things keeping people in touch with the world. It allows people to connect with others and post fun or serious content that others can enjoy. I understand the concern of security and data, since many people are not careful with their digital footprint these days, but overall I think TikTok is an app that displays more good than harm to its users. I feel that banning TikTok would cause great outburst with its users because of the impact it has made on many lives.
The thing I love the most about Tiktok is that it allows people to express themselves authentically for the whole world to see, and it also allows people to post things online of bad people doing bad things, and exposing them for it. Without this app, many people that have committed hate crimes could have walked away scott free from many situations.
As a college student, TikTok is an important part of our social media experience, offering creativity and connection. While we enjoy its benefits, we should be mindful of the potential threats it poses. Privacy and data security concerns, the spread of misinformation, and the impact on mental health are key areas to consider. By being informed, critical users, we can navigate these challenges and make the most of TikTok while prioritizing our privacy, well-being, and responsible engagement
As a college student, TikTok is an important part of our social media experience, offering creativity and connection. While we enjoy its benefits, we should be mindful of the potential threats it poses. Privacy and data security concerns, the spread of misinformation, and the impact on mental health are key areas to consider. By being informed, critical users, we can navigate these challenges and make the most of TikTok while prioritizing our privacy, well-being, and responsible engagement.
I feel as of now, tensions between all countries are pretty high due to external reasons such as the war over looming Ukraine and Russia, Mexico nationalizing their lithium and plans to join BRICS, while China is steadily climbing to be the biggest Global Power. With all of these things in mind, I think that the US now is weary of interactions on social media due to it being a potential security threat, and since TikTok is one of the biggest platforms in the US, it also is based in China, unlike many other platforms such as Google, Instagram, and Facebook. I think this worry is justified, but actions towards this are being executed horribly as it is inherently discriminatory for TikTok to be questioned as they are being questioned for things that they can not control as it is user based.
I feel as of now, tensions between all countries are pretty high due to external reasons such as the war over looming Ukraine and Russia, Mexico nationalizing their lithium and plans to join BRICS, while China is steadily climbing to be the biggest Global Power. With all of these things in mind, I think that the US now is weary of interactions on social media due to it being a potential security threat, and since TikTok is one of the biggest platform in the US, it also is based in China, unlike many other platforms such as Google, Instagram, and Facebook. I think this worry is justified, but actions towards this are being executed horribly as it is inherently discriminatory for TikTok to be questioned as they are being questioned for things that they can not control as it is user based.
Another commenter made this point but I feel it important to reiterate: the US has far bigger problems than a silly social media platform, that has specific terms and conditions that we all agree to. I absolutely understand and support being hesitant or restricting use on a personal basis, but I don’t think the US government should have to get involved.
While I am sure that Tiktok does data mine and store user information, I doubt it is to a higher extent than any app run by an American company. I think that the problem is not how much data Tiktok takes, but more so that it is a Chinese company. There are other problems with Tiktok, such as how much time young teenagers are spending on it, and the type of content children can see, but I do not think what data they store is of the highest concern.
I personally like to stay away from TikTok given the mind-numbing nature of scrolling endlessly. That being said, I do not believe that this app deserves a ban. There are dangers to giving out one’s private information but we all accept (and in most cases ignore) those dangers on a daily basis and continue to scroll through the internet.
I do believe in the possibility that the Chinese government is collecting data from tiktok users and I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. I also believe that if the Chinese government is doing this then how do we know if other countries are doing the same. I mean we already know the US government spies on its own citizens. I am a bit confused as to why tiktok would be considered a threat and not other social media like twitter or facebook. So, I don’t think restricting or banning the app should be the answer because there are other apps that people use (social media) that could also be used to collect data from. It has its pros such as entertainment but also provides a source of income to people and has changed people’s lives.
I agree with the point that network security is a huge and complicated problem. The thing is I don’t think banning tik tok is going to solve the problem. There are many other apps developed in other countries and all users no matter which country they are from face similar issues. More legislation on how the app should work should be imposed instead of completely banning something. Similarly, I don’t quite like how my phone always picks up words from conversations and give out advertisements according to what I just said. I really hope there are more clear privacy policies that both users and products should follow to keep the community safe.
After reading this article I feel as though Tik Tok should not be banned for a few reasons. First and foremost many people use Tik Tok as a source of income, it also allows people to connect to others near and far as well as educating them. From personal experience I have learned a few things from Tik Tok videos I have seen. I do think that there needs to be more regulations for the app to ensure security and safety especially since there are many young kids on the app as technology is a huge part of this generation. With that being said I believe that the government is not fond of Tik Tok due to the information about what is going on in the country that is not shown or talked about on our news channels yet it is being spread to millions of people at the touch of their fingertips due to this app. There are many other apps that we share our data with so that is not the problem, it is the fact that the government views Tik Tok as a threat.
tik tok disliked by the us so much is it owned by a chinese company in which the chinse government can have alot of sway over the companies use it to spy American which the USA does not like it geopolitical revels doing. The issue is that us social media networks (Facebook) also are getting alot of data from users even the us is fine at violating there own citizen privacy. So many its about geopolitics.
While I do not use the app myself, I can definitely see where the fear and “threat” aspect the U.S. is trying to spin with the whole data mining aspect. It can definitely be a scary thing, especially if the tensions between the U.S. and China worsen over the next couple of years. While I do think that outright banning it is a big extreme, I do think that they should put some restrictions on time usage for it, to limit people’s use of it, because it has started to take over people’s lives. I also think that people have slowly started to become addicted and waste a lot of hours scrolling through their page.
I understand why these privacy issues could be considered a national security issue for America because TikTok is a Chinese company. At the same time, there are many American companies like Meta (which is in charge of Facebook and Instagram) and Google that also collect lots of data from people globally. Therefore, I don’t think this ban would be fair because American companies do the same thing. If national security is a concern, I think limitations to the app would be more appropriate than a ban.
I think TikTok reaches a wide audience range from the younger generation to the older generation. There is such a wide variety of videos out there, like cooking, organization, car maintenance, sports, and ASMR etc. It is an entertainment platform connecting people from all countries and serves as a news source for people who do not normally watch the news. It is a platform that brings awareness to certain topics and millions of people have learned new things from it. The app stems from the Musically app originally used for singing and dancing. I don’t think the Chinese government is using it to spy on American citizens because we use so much Chinese created technology and equipment. It is just the American government trying to censor things from us.
As someone who is studying psychology, I agree that TikTok is a threat to humans and we should be very careful about where it’s leading us. To be specific, I am not only referring to TikTok App, but rather the whole ecosystem of AI-based recommendation algorithms. This could shorten our attention span and lead to more severe consequences if more and more apps follow this type of design.
I think that banning Tiktok is too extreme, as I and many others use it as a source of entertainment. But I do agree that there needs to be some sort of regulation on how much information these companies can receive information on users – its scary to think if that sort of information got into the wrong hands and could possibly put someone in danger. Additionally, Its not just Tiktok alone that’s collecting information on its users, popular apps like facebook, reddit, and instagram do this as well.
Tik Tok is an app that I use everyday, and is seemingly very innocent. I do not understand the threat it presents or the risk it may have, but if it did go away, I wouldn’t mind because maybe I will become way more productive.
As someone with a toddler cousin, I can relate to the concerns raised about TikTok and its impact on young users. It’s genuinely unsettling to consider the inappropriate content available on the platform and that toddlers and young children might access. While TikTok itself has guidelines and policies in place, there is always a risk of users uploading inappropriate or harmful content unsuitable for young audiences. The potential threat of TikTok lies in the accessibility and exposure to content that may not be suitable for young minds. This raises questions about the effectiveness of content moderation and the platform’s responsibility in ensuring its users’ well-being, especially children. By raising awareness about the potential dangers and actively engaging with policymakers and tech companies, I hope we can work towards finding solutions that prioritize the well-being and protection of young users. Having a personal connection to a toddler who may be exposed to inappropriate content on TikTok makes it even more important for me to address this issue and promote responsible digital habits.
I absolutely believe that Tik Tok should be considered as a threat. Yes, other apps have similar terms and conditions which give them access to personal information, however, it’s completely different when that company is based out of a country we are at odds with. Not to mention, what Tik Tok does with this information may be very different than what companies do with similar information based out of the US due to different guidelines.
I find it very interesting that Tik Tok is being considered a threat. As many other people have mentioned there’s American owned app that have been involved in data leaks or the selling of personal information. Ensuring the privacy of people in today’s era is hard because of social media and hackers. Personally, I would be angry if I was unable to use the app because it got banned. I feel that I should have the freedom to download whatever apps I want and decide for myself if I believe it’s a threat to me.
I personally think that the whole idea of TikTok being a “danger” to US citizens is just thinly veiled racism and/or xenophobia. I also think that there are some political motivations behind banning the app due to how it has been utilized as a platform for organizing social justice movements.
Facebook and other social media apps collect user data and nobody has a problem with that. Whenever we log on to a new app, we always have to sign a disclaimer that is usually in the terms and conditions that to be honest, nobody actually reads. Not too mention that this idea of your privacy being infringed on is a new thing that’s come from TikTok is utter nonsense. Living in the digital age that we do, if someone is looking for you, they are going to find you. Hell, we all walk around with tracking devices in our pockets (phones). Banning TikTok isn’t going to do much to keep “Big Brother” off your back. If you really want privacy, throw away your phone and go live in the woods and let the rest of us watch our silly little videos.
Although I do not have Tik Tok myself, I can see that the controversy with it stems from geopolitics and fears for national security. With the United States not having as much leverage on Tik Tok as it does on other social media companies like Meta, it won’t be able to strong-arm Tik Tok when needed. That is why the United States sees a problem with it.
Though there are plenty of other issues that should be of more concern that have happened and are currently surfacing around the world today, I don’t feel that Tik Tok should be considered our main concern. However, in terms of safety and privacy, inappropriate content, online predators and bullying, mental health and self-esteem, and addiction and time management, there are still a lot of negative aspects about the app. Specifically, Tik Tok collects a significant amount of user data, this including our personal information, browsing history, and location data. It can be known that people are basically revealing a lot about themselves by publishing content and information on this app. It is also detrimental to people’s mental health. By getting constant exposure to severely curated content, it is very easy for people to compare themselves to idealized standards and, in turn, make them feel inadequate and have thoughts about social pressure and his or her body image.
I myself am Chinese and I wouldn’t put it past the government that they mine data from the millions of users on tiktok. It could be the US or other governments too and we’ll never know. As fearful as I am for this personal security breach, there’s nothing I can do as it will only get worse as conflicts between countries continue heating up. However, I do support banning or restricting usage of tiktok, simply because it has evolved into cancer. People, especially teenagers waste hours away on the app, viewing explicit and vulgar content without even knowing. Knowing that some of these kids aren’t even in middle school just makes it that unsettling.
I myself am Chinese and I wouldn’t put it past the government that they mine data from all of the tiktok users. But it could also be the US, or other governments and we’ll never know. As scared as I am for this personal security threat, I don’t have many things to say about it because it’s already been done and it will only get worse as conflicts between countries continue to heat up. I apologise for what I’ll say next as I know many people rely on tiktok to make a living but tiktok has really revolved into cancer, people waste hours away on the app and some of which aren’t even in middle school. I support banning or restricting usage of tiktok.
Although I myself have not used Tik Tok, seeing the controversy around it seems to stem as a result of geopolitics and concern for national security. With Tik Tok being a social media company that doesn’t have strong connections to the United States, I believe it creates a sense of paranoia among government officials and agencies. Although the United States believes in a free market, they know they ability to strong-arm companies like Meta when it comes to picking sides between them and other countries they might be in conflict with, and not having the same ability to do so with Tik Tok presents a “security concern”.
Everyone is bringing up TikTok, but people seem to forget that it’s just a repurposed Musically, and that app has been around since the early 2010s. This app isn’t new, yet it faces constant backlash for it’s “data mining,” which occurs in every app seen in the US today. Is Tik Tok really that special? I believe it has more to do with the fact that it’s owned by China than their data mining, and that fear is almost as bad as the boogeyman. China is definitely not one of the US’s allies, but to say that China is spying on our citizens through TikTok is a bit of a reach.
I think its a waste of time regulating about a children’s app instead of focusing their energy on things that cause harm to U.S citizens. Tik tok gathers information just like other apps like instagram and facebook the only difference is the owners aren’t based in the U.S. The platform is used mostly for entertainment and media. I think that officials want to get rid of tik tok because of the fast access to information. Like ways to grow your wealth which could impact the percent of individuals that own most of the nations wealth. The information being spread impacts their wallets which scares them which is what I think.
Everyone is bringing up TikTok, but people seem to forget that it’s just a repurposed Musically, and that app had been around since the early 2010s. This app isn’t new, yet it faces constant backlash for “data mining,” which occurs in every app seen in the US today. Is Tik Tok really that special? I believe it has more to do with the fact that it’s owned by China than their data mining, and that fear is almost as bad as the boogeyman. China is definitely not one of the US’s allies, but to say that it is spying on its citizens through TikTok is a bit of a reach.
Everyone is bringing up TikTok, but people seem to forget that it’s just a repurposed Musically, and that app had been around since the early 2010s. This app isn’t new, yet it faces constant backlash for it’s “data mining,” which occurs in every app seen in the US today. Is Tik Tok really that special? I believe it has more to do with the fact that it’s owned by China than their data mining, and that fear is almost as bad as the boogeyman. China is definitely not one of the US’s allies, but to say that China is spying on its citizens through TikTok is a bit of a reach.
I think the premise of banning TikTok is a bit ridiculous, as I don’t really understand why TikTok specifically is a threat. American-owned social media companies track us just as much, if not more than TikTok does, and American-owned companies will even sell this data overseas. The Facebook/Cambridge Analytica data scandal is more controversial than any criticism TikTok has had since it launched in the US.
Ensuring 100% privacy protection for users in any media platform is indeed a challenging task. With the rapid advancement of technology and the ever-evolving landscape of the digital world, maintaining absolute privacy becomes increasingly difficult. While it may be impossible to guarantee complete protection, it is crucial for platforms like TikTok to prioritize user privacy and take measures to minimize risks. It is essential for governments and regulatory bodies to enforce strict privacy regulations and hold platforms accountable for any privacy breaches. Striving for improved privacy standards and maintaining an open dialogue between users, platform developers, and policymakers is vital in addressing privacy concerns in media platforms like TikTok. Although complete protection may be unattainable, concerted efforts can significantly enhance privacy safeguards and create a safer online environment for users.
I believe that Tic Tok shouldn’t be banned, because the concerns expressed in this post will not be eliminated by doing that, it will just be a different app and the problem will still exist. The government and the company behind it should definitely find a better way to regulate it for sure. And there are many users who use the app on a daily basis without causing any problems.
I believe TikTok should not be band because many people use it on a daily basis. Not only as a source of entertainment but for food recipes, hacks, news and much more. I feel like it is almost impossible to have privacy on the internet because it’s something that is out of our control. They could probably regulate and restrict some of the content on TikTok but there isn’t much they could do as for as privacy.
I think TikTok is more like a different version of snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, etc. It helps people to know other from all over the world. I use TikTok daily to watch all kinds of videos, such as cooking, games, etc. Instead of watching YouTube with a 10-minute video, short videos are more convince. The privacy problem occurs almost on every app not just TikTok. Facebook was having the problem of disclosure of personal information and now it’s being use.
I thought this was an interesting topic. TikTok is definitely a craze right now, with every single one of my friends being on the app. I may be a bit biased because I personally love the app, but I think it should be the users choice. I also know TikTok isn’t the only app collecting it’s member’s data, so where is the line? Nonetheless, I can also see the argument of the state’s governments wanting to protect citizens from potentially becoming victims to fraud or other such crimes.
I think what really scares the government and other agencies is that TikTok connects so many different people and gives people a voice. People talk about social movements, the government, other world leaders, TikTok is a place where people can talk about whatever they want. There is a thing called “shadow banning” where the app limits what people talk about and doesn’t have their video shared and limits it. Because of this, to me legislation cares about what people think and doesn’t want people talking bad about them or the U.S. government, they are blaming tracking user data instead. To me they want a scapegoat so they are blaming data user breach so they can get rid of Tiktok so no one can share their not so good views about the U.S.
I don’t understand why Tik Tok, specifically, is a threat. There are countless social media platforms and outlets. Nothing is private anymore. Does the government actually think removing one app will be enough? I think it’s unrealistic to ban Tik Tok or to view it as a threat to US security
While you’re right that it is extremely hard to protect your data online anymore, the government is heading in the right direction holding companies accountable for how our data is distributed online. Since TikTok is the most up-and-coming mainstream social media in the Appstore and it’s owned by an international company, I think it is easy for the government to latch onto that as a means of navigating online privacy.
Before you access any app you are given a long list of terms and agreements that you must agree to in order to continue use. Many of us however, I admit to doing this myself, just quickly scroll and blindly press agree. I find it interesting how people are now very scared about what the app has access to when I am pretty sure there was probably something about it in the long list of terms and agreements. I feel like this fear and claim of it being a threat is not really about data and information and more about people being scared about the power of Tik Tok. Tik Tok has an influence on people and culture that I have not seen from any other app. People, more specifically younger generations, are using this platform to teach/make others aware of societal issues, encourage people to take stands, etc. I think many people are getting scared of the access and information Tik Tok helps circulate and shed light on. I think people don’t see the app itself as a threat, they feel threatened by the power and voice Tik Tok can provide.
Before you download any app there is a long list of terms and conditions that we all know, I admit to doing to myself, we all scroll through and just press agree.
I think what really scares the government and other agencies is that TikTok connects so many different people and gives people a voice. People talk about social movements, the government, other world leaders, TikTok is a place where people can talk about whatever they want. There is a thing called “shadow banning” where the app limits what people talk about and doesn’t have their video shared and limits it. Because of this, to me legislation cares about what people think and doesn’t want people talking bad about them or the U.S. government, they are blaming tracking user data instead. To me they want a scapegoat so they are blaming data user breach so they can get rid of Tiktok so no one can share their not so good views about the U.S.
We willingly share our lives on the internet, and give the internet public a lot of access to our personal information on the daily. While privacy is a value that America deeply values, the information that TikTok is “stealing” is not information that hasnt been “stolen” by any other app. Does it matter if it is the US government or the Chinese government that has access to this data? Absolutely not. Personally, I couldnt care less who has access to that information. As long as my money isn’t being stolen I don’t care.
I believe that the controversy surrounding Tik Tok stems from political issues between the U.S. and China. Every form of social media nowadays access our personal information, yet the reason why Tik Tok is currently being scrutinized is due to the fact that it is owned by a foreign party. I personally think there is no issue as we should have the freedom to make our own choices. If I were worried about someone using my sensitive information I would simply not use the app. This issue is not something that the government needs to decide on.
With the ever-increasing prevalence of data breaches and surveillance practices across various platforms, it is becoming increasingly clear that true online privacy is a rare commodity. While TikTok does collect user data, similar to other social media platforms, the notion of privacy on the internet has eroded to a significant extent. Countless websites and apps already gather vast amounts of personal information, rendering the distinction between platforms like TikTok and others rather blurred. Therefore, it can be argued that TikTok’s potential threat to privacy is not unique or exceptional in the current landscape of the internet, where genuine privacy seems elusive.
Internet privacy has been dead since the day social media appeared in people’s lives. Almost all software requires users to provide personal information and forces you to give them permission to use the data before you can use their software. If the government really cared about people’s privacy rather than using it as an excuse to fight with foreign governments, there would be a better law to regulate all Internet companies. Because banning TikTok won’t protect people from privacy disclosures.
Internet privacy has been dead since the day social media appeared in people’s lives. Almost all software requires users to provide personal information and forces you to give them permission to use the data before you can use their software. If the government really cared about people’s privacy rather than using it as an excuse to fight with foreign governments, there would be a better law to regulate all Internet companies. Because banning TikTok alone won’t protect people from privacy disclosure.
Tiktok has definitely expanded from being your everyday-regular-social-media outlet into something that has the power to reach and influence millions like never before. As a result of this, the amount of information that can be tracked and traced through this social media outlet is also at record breaking highs which is what brings more concern with topics that may be sensitive to a certian audience. The algrothim may sometimes show videos that are not appropriate to certain audiences and with the amount of children that now have access to this app it is even more important that they are aware of the dangers that a simple media app can hold.
Tiktok has grown to be such a staple in uniting communities and can have individuals simply look up videos on how to do certain things as life, such as tips/hacks to make life easier, cooking, or the main purpose, which is to entertain. It’s hard to judge the app for the risk of taking people’s data because I feel as if social media in general or anything online will always have the risk of data breach. We can see this with banks, schools, and other big things within the states. It doesn’t seem to be fair to point and blame Tiktok when everything else is also at risk of having data breach.
Although TikTok might appear at first glance to be a social networking platform the repercussions of overuse and the amount of user data that they store is quite large. It does indeed warrant government intervention due to the threat to national security and the future of the United States. There was even one comparison of children in the united states vs china where it seemed that children in china were found to be more driven and this can be attributed to things like social media where tiktok might be trying to influence the younger generation to have more lazy ideals while promoting more socially accepted qualities like hardworking to its own citizen.s
The software TikTok has evolved from a simple entertainment platform to a venue for bringing attention to a variety of concerns, which has led to the dread around it. Although not all of the information on TikTok is trustworthy, it gives users the chance to contribute their own stories and throw light on current events throughout the world. Given the app’s crucial position in the online environment, a complete ban could be a harsh approach. Privacy issues emerge since TikTok’s parent firm is based in China, which may have access to users’ personal data.However, considering that several platforms also collect user data, safeguarding privacy on the internet as a whole is a difficult problem. Users should be able to control what they share and maintain the security of their personal data. It’s important to note that Google and other platforms’ data policies are not fundamentally different from China’s access to TikTok data. Although worries about data security and privacy are legitimate, it is necessary to take a balanced approach to resolve these problems without sacrificing the platform’s benefits.
With regards to new laws around social media and censorship, I think it’s somewhat odd and irrelevant to try and ban an app used for entertainment. While many can find hacks, cooking recipes, hobbies, and more on the app, Tik tok has a way of forming communities in a way that’s new. Tik tok has been able to bring so many people together and gives regular, non-famous, people a platform and a voice to reach almost millions of people around the world. Virtually anyone can become ‘viral’ or have a lot of views on a singular video addressing what is important to them, despite never remotely having a following or even posting videos prior. This makes the app one of kind and important to those who may not have always had a voice. The only reason any big corporations, governments, or people within politics would think about banning Tik tok probably just don’t like what people have to say about them, and want to stop the spread of negative facts surrounding them.
What an interesting topic. TikTok, as many user would describe, is popular, entertaining, and ‘addictive’. This conversation has gained lots of attention and momentum. Along with the app’s ability to track our likes/dislikes and present visual material almost perfectly curated and personalized toward the user, I also think that perhaps part of what makes many user almost obsessive over the app is because of its major popularity when Covid-19 emerged. It’s something that could be relied upon for entertainment, a good laugh, entertainment, and perhaps became a habit that has stuck with us since the days we couldn’t leave our homes. This conversation is really interesting as is the app itself, I think because its not only a social media platform, but also provides entertainment, connection across the world, for business purposes, as well as privacy invasion as stated. There are many elements to this.
I definitely see both sides because I do think Tiktok does gather a lot of personal data which can be harmful, but with that logic we would have to ban all social media. I do not really understand how tiktok is worse than other social media platforms whom also have an algorithm and know everything that we search. I feel it is a bit black and white in the sense that we either keep using all of these online platforms, social medias, and websites, or everything is banned. It is difficult to sensor this kind of thing on one app, just to continue giving data and personal information to other forms of the internet.
TikTok is a great source of entertainment for our generation and it is something that has allowed others to connect with one another through various videos. Additionally, TikTok has become a platform for information and news that is being shared around the world and yet again provides a platform for connection with others. Whilst there is an issue with privacy in terms of accessing personal information, many other apps use our personal information and what we “like” to create better content for our entertainment. I do agree, however, that the conditions need to be changed to create more privacy for users so that our very personal information isn’t collected and used.
Regarding the topic of medias that misuse the information of their users, I think that TikTok is overly pinpointed as a major media that could potentially harm their users purely because of the idea that the Chinese government is trying to put Americans at harm at the guise of a media platform. This statement could probably be a spread of bias against this Chinese media in particular because in comparison to other media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram it’s not as targeted. Not many people talk about the countless other platforms such that have fake advertisements that could harm users. Additionally, Facebook has been in many lawsuit settlements due to their countless attempts of selling user information without our permission. So agreeing with the article, it’s completely stupid for people to place a ban on a Chinese created app without considering banning all other medias that has crossed our rights by selling our information. Just remember that the apps we have now have been selling our information, but nobody is talking about banning them. Honestly, I feel like tiktok has had less scams and if anything has spread news much faster than most medias in mostly positive and some negative ways.
The debate about Tik Tok being banned in the states has definitely picked up over the past weeks especially with a state (Montana) banning the app in it’s borders frontiers. Now the app is used for entertainment and overall stream of all topics overall. Now the issue is big since people in the states are worried that the Chinese government will have the information of its users. Yet already with people using the internet and having accounts in other web platforms already puts the users information at risk. Companies already do have information of people but it seems its a growing problem once China is involved. Now playing devils advocate its fine for the US to have all the information of its citizens and potentially those of other countries but its a problem when its direct rival tries the same? Being what it may be I think that if people know the consequences that using certain sites or apps may involves and they still choose to then that’s up to them.
The whole Tik Tok debate definitely is picking up pace with a whole state (Montana) already banning the platform in its state walls. This app took off in a very big way when covid was happening and its provided people with entertainment. There is a whole issue of the Chinese government being able to handle the information of its user’s but I mean half the information of the people is already out there by them having any accounts on the web such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc. When it comes to the internet and information it doesn’t have to come from another country when we already risk out our data in general with the internet. Playing devils, advocate its kind of odd that our own country can have all of our own information and also information from people from other places yet when someone else tries to do the same now its a problem? I don’t know but if people want to use certain app or such then they should be aware of the terms and conditions and if they agree to use the app then well better prepare for the consequences.
I think that the banning of an app is probably a little bit too extreme considering that it is something that is part of the internet. I understand that the fineprint of China being able to recieve our private information is absolutely a violation of privacy, but isn’t that most of the internet?
Is there a way that we can really ban the internet from having our private information if we post it? Some people actually enjoy TikTok and can keep their private information safe and choose what they want to share. Since it is used as a social media platform, users are allowed to pick and choose what they want and the fact that China has access to it, isn’t any different than Google having access to whatever we search up or any other social media that we decide to post on
I think that the fear of this popular app comes from the fact that more people are becoming aware of things that have caused people to stage their voices. This app gives people the opportunity to raise awareness for several situations, whether it be about their personal lives or about events that are happening around the world. This app is for entertainment but it has become more than just an app for fun, it is educational, although not everything is believable.
While I agree that tik tok is entertaining, the privacy violations written into their fine print are unacceptable. We are allowing other countries to have access to our most private data for the purpose of entertainment. Not only is this dumb, but also dangerous for ourselves and our national security.
TikTok as an app is in many ways different from everything we have seen before. The app which was originally musica.ly was rebranded during 2016, and within just the first few years it became the most downloaded app in several countries. When the pandemic hit in late 2019/early 2020 large parts of the world’s population were suddenly forced into quarantine, derived from most of their traditional ways of social interaction, the usage of the app exploded. It’s addictive scrolling, easy creation mode, and extremely specialised algorithm became almost substitute for the social interactions that were no longer available, where its users could develop a false sense of belonging and socials support. I believe that this is where the problems started. Because people allowed the app to become a part of our inner circle, taking the place of our friends, coworkers and classmates, we also started treating it as such; we started to trust the people on it as blindly as we did the people around us. Information was no longer presented through long articles or posts which we had previously seen on platforms such as instagram and Facebook, nor did it require the same investment of time as did Youtube. It was now presented by familiar faces, never requiring you to invest more than a minute of your time. It showed us short clips of political activists, mixed in with videos of our friends, dancers, DIYers, cooking, science teachers and much more, and somewhere along the way we forgot everything we’ve learned about being critical of our sources. By taking this into consideration, especially in combination with an extremely specialised algorithm which provides a very narrow perspective, and questionable knowledge about how users personal information is being treated, makes the critique towards the app much more understandable.
I think this concern about TikTok is interesting because of how information flows in the context of the app. In comparison, Instagram and Twitter which were platforms that encouraged expression have become incredibly impersonal and with clear agendas and an emphasis on pushing advertisement and increasing purchases. Many people view TikTok as more authentic and rely on it for information about social movements, protests, and general awareness. While there have definitely been claims regarding “shadow banning”, its limited funding for creators means that (barring big influencers) those who are on it are there to interact and communicate with an audience and nothing more. I wonder if that might be seen as a threat to those in power.
As mentioned in the comment before mine, TikTok has become an app that connects people either through the app or as far as other social media platforms. Maybe at first when the app transition from Musical.ly to TikTok it would be consider more entertainment based, but now that its been years since that change and the app has been updated, I think that the threat that this app (in the eyes of the States) brings is the fact that it connects people and gives information/news of what is happening all over the world. That’s a threat to governments/states because that means that more people can see the bad things that are being done and allows people to actually do something to make a change and governments don’t want to change especially when it tampers with the power that they have and don’t want to let go of.
I agree with Marlha on this one. I think the problem that the government sees in TikTok is that it exposes many issues in the U.S. that the mainstream media do not disclose. I am assured that the U.S. government sees this as a more significant threat than any “sensitive data.” I also think that worrying about sensitive data through TikTok is comical. I believe that once we share any information online, there is no such thing as privacy anymore. At the same time, we deliberately share our data on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and even commenting on this website requires my name and email address.
I think at this point TikTok is much more than just an entertainment platform. It connects people from around the world in ways that hadn’t been done to this scale before. TikTok additionally serves as a learning tool and news outlet for individuals, among other things. We find solutions/ hacks for everyday problems, learn about US politics and its current state, learn about world news, and learn new information that we would not have otherwise been exposed to. Obviously, it shouldn’t be the only tool used for news but it is good as an initial exposure to things going on in our world. I think America has issues with this platform, not because of the sensitive data, but because it makes its inhabitants more aware of what is going on in their country. It means that individuals are more likely to stand up and band together for issues they believe are not being handled correctly by our government.