This is an application used to play short videos to those with a short attention span, what is the fuss about, or is there something else behind the scenes that we are not being told about.

I don't really believe that it's about security or tracking as there are already a multitude of applications doing that. I understand the theory that it might be getting used to "brainwash" the younger generations but I have yet to read any serious study that has been done in these regards.

I must admit that I have never even seen TikTok outside of some of the videos re-broadcast on YT.

Considering the rather poor judgement trends that are pushed on social media, and in particular Tik Tok, I'd suggest a ban would be a good thing for mental, physical and social health.

Although... it would also reduce the candidacy for the Darwin awards. Bit of a tough call there.

It's kind of a weird little subculture.

It's basically if Twitter was video.

A lot of it is "here's my viewpoint on why you are wrong and you suck" videos or stuff like "you aren't autistic, my son is, and you're taking resources and care away from him" to name a recent example a friend is pissed about.

There's a lot of people posting stolen YouTube videos. They don't care about watermarks or things like the "bigclive.com" sticker Big Clive has on his workbench. Copyright isn't even a thing, because it's China.

A lot of it is people doing dangerous things and barely not losing a hand or catching on fire - or sometime they do, and maybe it'll be taken down if enough people complain, but probably not. It's China. Edit: like a recent example where a guy lost his hand to a table saw and the house security cam recorded it. No fucks given there.

And of course a lot of it is memes, to a much bigger extent than YouTube.

Pay attention to what Blinken is saying in his visit to China. He's effectively saying that unless China dismantles its advanced industrial base and isolates Russia we're going to implement more sanctions. If you combine this with the threat to sanction countries that don't trade in dollars coming from the Republican nominee you can pretty much see how this is going to play out. (Words like "impotent" and "wet noodle" come to mind.)

ByteDance is just a bit player in this game. Unfortunately, its also one that directly impacts a bloc of voters (and is currently in use to reach them by campaigns, including Biden's). "Tripling tariffs" on imported steel and other threatened and existing actions just puts prices up a bit, something that will just get lost in the general inflationary noise that's relatively easy to explain away.

(What we really need is a new set of politicians. Ones that are not living in a long gone world.) (But then we're not alone -- the more I read about the UK's political problems the more I think "Maybe its not that bad over here"!)

PS -- I'm not a TikToc user; I personally don't like social media, I regard it as evil.

Pay attention to what Blinken is saying in his visit to China. He's effectively saying that unless China dismantles its advanced industrial base and isolates Russia we're going to implement more sanctions. If you combine this with the threat to sanction countries that don't trade in dollars coming from the Republican nominee you can pretty much see how this is going to play out. (Words like "impotent" and "wet noodle" come to mind.)

Also pay attention to the reception Blinken got when he landed in China. No red carpet, no honour guard, just a minor bureaucrat. A rather pointed and calculated snub.

ByteDance is just a bit player in this game. Unfortunately, its also one that directly impacts a bloc of voters (and is currently in use to reach them by campaigns, including Biden's). "Tripling tariffs" on imported steel and other threatened and existing actions just puts prices up a bit, something that will just get lost in the general inflationary noise that's relatively easy to explain away.

Yup. I get the feeling it's a bit populist but the real danger is the act gives the Executive powers to do the same thing to any other website or app that it finds objectionable. It's being done under the guise of national security, but of course preventing the spread of 'misinformation'. Given it's popularity amongst younger voters, who might be more inclined to vote Democrat, I think it's a move that could easily backfire. Voters may not care if the price of rebar goes up a dollar, but will notice their favourite app vanishing. Longer term, it's whether the US (and EU) could weather a trade war with China given our dependency on China's products.

PS -- I'm not a TikToc user; I personally don't like social media, I regard it as evil.

Agreed. I think more needs to be done to stop some of the harmful or malicious 'challenges' but there's also a huge problem with social media being used to push social control.