Possible removal of WeChat app in the United States

[AurumPunzel]

Techno-McCarthyism strikes again. Has there been any real proof that the CCP have been involved in those apps, or is this yet another bout of scaremongering from Washington?

 

[godisney14]

Yes, I agree with you on that one, but of course we all do it too with just about every app on our phones.

The obvious difference is that the Chinese don't use the data collected for marketing, lol! They use it to identify, track, and eliminate dissidents or to steal proprietary information from international business people.

I'm in favor of shutting down those apps, even if it does inconvenience some folks.

So exactly who are these teenage dissidents in the US that China wants to track down and eliminate? How many international business people are sharing secrets on TikTok?

 

[RamblingMad]

Techno-McCarthyism strikes again. Has there been any real proof that the CCP have been involved in those apps, or is this yet another bout of scaremongering from Washington?

The socialism fear mongering is pretty ridiculous.

 

[ronandannette]

The socialism fear mongering is pretty ridiculous.

China isn’t a socialist country.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The communist regime has control over the company that owns the Apps. That is the difference between FB, IG and these other companies!

 

[AurumPunzel]

China isn’t a socialist country.

Well, it is in the sense that the country is communist, but their model of communism is a mixture of a market economy with authoritarian characteristics, and the alleged links between the corporate boards of private Chinese firms and the CCP is what's causing alarm in Washington.

 

[RamblingMad]

The communist regime has control over the company that owns the Apps. That is the difference between FB, IG and these other companies!

FB sends data to US intelligence, so what’s the difference?

 

[tvguy]

FB sends data to US intelligence, so what’s the difference?

Hope they enjoy the photos of my cat

 

[godisney14]

The communist regime has control over the company that owns the Apps. That is the difference between FB, IG and these other companies!

No one is forcing you to use these apps. Period.

And, I would bet that most people arguing for this ban has never even thought about downloading, let alone using, these apps ever.

So, what’s the fuss besides someone saying so.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

FB sends data to US intelligence, so what’s the difference?

I thought it went without saying, but I guess not?

I believe I’d be breaking rules here if I posted links due to the political nature of the subject, but one can certainly read to their heart’s content by googling what is the communist regime of China like to learn more.

 

[RamblingMad]

I thought it went without saying, but I guess not?

I believe I’d be breaking rules here if I posted links due to the political nature of the subject, but one can certainly read to their heart’s content by googling what is the communist regime of China like to learn more.

What I’m saying is that I don’t see how TikTok is any different than FB. That’s it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

What I’m saying is that I don’t see how TikTok is any different than FB. That’s it.

Um, ok.

 

[ronandannette]

I thought it went without saying, but I guess not?

I believe I’d be breaking rules here if I posted links due to the political nature of the subject, but one can certainly read to their heart’s content by googling what is the communist regime of China like to learn more.

That’s what I was implying. It’s not European-style socialists that we’re dealing with here nor is it “fear-mongering” to be aware.

 

[AurumPunzel]

That’s what I was implying. It’s not European-style socialists that we’re dealing with here nor is it “fear-mongering” to be aware.

That's why dichotomies are important. My favourite model of socialism is the Scandinavian/Nordic model, which has a fair balance between having a system that has a safety net people can rely on if need be and a system that encourages fair capitalism. The issue is that a lot of McCarthyists tend to conflate any form of socialism with totalitarian/authoritarian systems such as the one that was created by the likes of Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong and Kim Il-sung - and lop-sided democracies such as Venezuela where the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela dominates without any real competition, and has been frequently cited as a very bad example of socialism due to its heavy reliance on frittering away public money for projects with little return to the treasury, which resulted in ultrainflation of the Bolivar and subsequent currency reforms that tried to address the issue of too many zeroes.

 

[MillauFr]

The communist regime has control over the company that owns the Apps. That is the difference between FB, IG and these other companies!

The only difference is the Chinese Communist Party makes TicTok turn over their data for free. Facebook and Twitter charges them for the data.

 

[mikehn]

Various countries restrict various websites and various content for various reasons. The US has been doing this for a while, you just havent heard because what's been restricted hasnt been popular, until now. But there's a simple and legal way to get around it and all the tech savvy kids know.

 

[ronandannette]

That's why dichotomies are important. My favourite model of socialism is the Scandinavian/Nordic model, which has a fair balance between having a system that has a safety net people can rely on if need be and a system that encourages fair capitalism. The issue is that a lot of McCarthyists tend to conflate any form of socialism with totalitarian/authoritarian systems such as the one that was created by the likes of Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong and Kim Il-sung - and lop-sided democracies such as Venezuela where the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela dominates without any real competition, and has been frequently cited as a very bad example of socialism due to its heavy reliance on frittering away public money for projects with little return to the treasury, which resulted in ultrainflation of the Bolivar and subsequent currency reforms that tried to address the issue of too many zeroes.

All true but also completely beside the point. China’s economic model is not the problem. Your knowledge of political science is impressive but It seems you are trying to obfuscate the perilous social conditions and crushing oppression under which the powerless individuals are held. Call me an hegemonist if you will but I simply cannot see it as anything other than a travesty.

 

[AurumPunzel]

All true but also completely beside the point. China’s economic model is not the problem. Your knowledge of political science is impressive but It seems you are trying to obfuscate the perilous social conditions and crushing oppression under which the powerless individuals are held. Call me an hegemonist if you will but I simply cannot see it as anything other than a travesty.

I am fully aware of what's going on in China, and I actually abhor how Xi Jinping is ruling the country with an iron fist while continuing to suppress any criticism, including the criticisms about how they failed to stop COVID-19 from becoming global and how they've downplayed the disease to the WHO, and the WHO themselves are also being scrutinised over allegations that they're becoming too influenced by Beijing. Not to mention that they've been very unfair with trade practices, and years of undercutting industries around the world and copying IPs to further gain advantage is also more reason to fear China.

 

[RogueX]

I would understand not allowing it on government phones/devices, but as an individual, I think I should be able to have it if I so choose. China already has my information from the OPM breach. lol

Ha, ha...mine too.

 

[WebmasterKathy]

We’ve traveled way into politics here... thread closed.