I’m not here to claim that Tiktok is completely harmless, or that it’s even a good site. I’m sure they absolutely do collect as much personal information as they can, and I’m sure they give it to the Chinese government whenever they ask. But I don’t understand how Meta and Facebook are meant to be any better? There’s always a lot of hoo-haa going on with politicians promising to ban tiktok, and (at least back on Reddit) everybody’s vowing they will never use tiktok because it’s such a privacy invasive site. Yet I never see anybody going up against Facebook, at least the average person, but they collect just as much personal info and I’m sure hand it over whenever any government agency in the US asks them to

It kind of feels to me like this is some sort of country thing. China is bad, so they shouldn’t have your personal info. But the US is the last bastion of free speech and privacy, so their companies would NEVER dare to invade your privacy, and their government would never abuse their power to get people’s personal info

I’m aware Lemmy probably isn’t the best place to ask since most people here seem to be deep into open source software and often privacy focused (so I suppose wouldn’t use either) but this also feels like the only place on the internet I might actually get an answer that isn’t just “TIKTOK BAD”. If you refuse to use tiktok but are ok with Facebook - why?

  • FuglyDuckEnglish
    2•8 months ago

    the US actively censors literally everything it’s citizens see? (1, 2, 3, 4,)

    The US dissappears it’s own citizens if they rock the boat too much? (1, 2, 3)

    Your arguments are just talking points you’re fed that make you feel better about yourself. Fuck China and fuck USA. US has been fucking meddling with countries worldwide with their surveillance and shaping narratives with social media companies to benefit itself. Going as far as to perpetuate genocide and violence among people, you guys fucking deserve Tiktok.

    It’s hilarious that I more or less acknowledged that the US is also spying on it’s citizens. The distinction is what the US then does about it. It doesn’t make random kids dissappear because they likened Xi to Winnie the Poo. It doesn’t make kids dissappear for criticizing the CCP, or even calling it’s sitting president a mass murderer.

    As for meddling in other people’s business. Well, hate to break it to you, the only people not doing that wish they had the capability to do that. And you’re kidding yourself if you think otherwise. Same goes with global surveillance. Same goes with meddling, too.

    Welcome to the modern world, where there are no heroes. hope Xi remembers to pay you this week. I wouldn’t be too loud if he forgets, though.