The US ‘theft’ of TikTok

[Manny]

US ‘theft’ of TikTok turning once great America into ‘rogue country’ – Chinese media

Beijing will not accept Washington’s “smash and grab” of Chinese technology company TikTok’s US operations and is ready to respond, the China Daily newspaper reported on Tuesday.
According to the state-backed paper, Washington’s “bullying” of Chinese tech companies was a consequence of a zero-sum vision of “America first” that left China with no choice but “submission or mortal combat in the tech realm.”

China had “plenty of ways to respond if the [Trump] administration carries out its planned smash and grab,” the paper said.

Short-video app TikTok has been under fire since the Trump administration accused it of collecting data on Americans and sending it to the Chinese government. TikTok has denied any links to Beijing, stressing that all its servers used for the American market are located in the US. General Manager Vanessa Pappas dismissed privacy concerns, saying the company is “not planning on going anywhere” and intends to create 10,000 US jobs over the next three years.

US President Donald Trump reversed course on a plan to ban the app when American tech giant Microsoft announced plans to partially acquire TikTok’s business. Trump gave the green light to the plan, saying the deal between Microsoft and TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance should be inked within 45 days. He also said that some “key money” would have to be paid to the US Treasury Department for making the deal possible.

The editor-in-chief of China’s Global Times newspaper Hu Xijin called the move an “open robbery” and said, “President Trump is turning the once great America into a rogue country.”

Technology has been a major part of the trade dispute between the two countries, with TikTok becoming the latest firm to be dragged into the fight.

Source

He also said that some “key money” would have to be paid to the US Treasury Department for making the deal possible.

Is Trump running a country or a kraisha? The bloke is a hood. Since when does a business acquiring a share in another business have to pay what is essentially protection money to the government?

Good discussion topic I thought. 

[BillyB]

By law, all Chinese companies must give the government any data it wants. When you sign up on a Chinese website such as TikTok, your private info can be given to the Chinese government. I haven't signed up there and I don't know if things can be purchased there but if so, credit card info will be theirs too. Identity theft and credit card theft happens. Nigerian scammers used American citizens info to steal hundreds of millions in unemployment benefits a few months ago.

[Manny]

By law, all Chinese companies must give the government any data it wants. When you sign up on a Chinese website such as TikTok, your private info can be given to the Chinese government. I haven't signed up there and I don't know if things can be purchased there but if so, credit card info will be theirs too. Identity theft and credit card theft happens.

Are you aware of the Chinese government misusing credit card details from any company? I'm not.

If not, there is no reason to suppose they might. The servers are in the US so will be subject to US data protection laws.

What about your president wanting "key money" for deals? The media isnt liking that too much: Extortion As National Policy? President Trump Demands 'Key Money' From A TikTok Sale To Microsoft Or He'll Ban TikTok In The U.S.

[BillyB]

China steals a lot. Doesn't matter where the server is located. A Chinese company owning the server makes it easier to get in there if the Chinese government wants.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/28/1-in-5-companies-say-china-stole-their-ip-within-the-last-year-cnbc.html

Of course China's government would like to get their hands on Americans financial data.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/10/doj-chinese-army-hacked-equifax-stole-145-million-americans-data/4711796002/

FBI director gives a good summary of what America faces from Chinese cybercrime and they do encourage hacking. Video is long but worth watching.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?473658-1/fbi-director-wray-china-worlds-superpower

[andrewfi]

Whatever the underlying rights and wrongs this presents very bad optics for the USA.

Talking of banning Tik Tok was bad enough in itself and was a bad start but this makes the USA look bad on a whole new level.

The idea that the government should wet its beak on the deal, if it happens, sets a whole new precedent that will have a lasting effect.

So, at least 3 levels of 'bad' in one go - and all because a bunch of USAian kids used the app to get tickets for Trump's rally, embarrassing him.

What happens next time when they use Twitter or WhatsApp to do something similar?

[Manny]

and all because a bunch of USAian kids used the app to get tickets for Trump's rally, embarrassing him.

Ahh, is that what's behind this? Is this the one where they got loads of tickets and didn't turn up leaving Trump with a half empty stadium? 

So now in exchange, Trump is using the government as a tool to steal the company and add extortionist to the long list of negative titles people assign to the US government.

He is a very petty and small minded man isnt he?

[andrewfi]

Of course that's supposition, no way to know for sure. However, it seems that the publicly voiced interest in Tik Tok arose after that event.

While the action does serve USAian interests in their squabble with China if this was the reason for the choice of target then it is remarkably petty and will certainly be seen that way around the world. Hence the poor optics.

Huawei is at least a rational target. A site based on people sharing short videos of silly dances and attractive young people showing off their bodies is hard for ordinary people around the world to reconcile with the idea of the site being a threat to national security.

[Markje]

By law, all Chinese companies must give the government any data it wants. When you sign up on a Chinese website such as TikTok, your private info can be given to the Chinese government. I haven't signed up there and I don't know if things can be purchased there but if so, credit card info will be theirs too. Identity theft and credit card theft happens. Nigerian scammers used American citizens info to steal hundreds of millions in unemployment benefits a few months ago.

USA law isnt different in this case. Msft usa was ordered to get data from msft ireland. The latter refused cause europe law would be broken.

[cufflinks]

Good on God King Emporer Trump... You phock with a Bull you get the horn.

[Manny]

Good on God King Emporer Trump... You phock with a Bull you get the horn.

Do you have an opinion on TikTok or Trump’s attempted extortion (which Microsoft seem to have declined to pay)?

[cufflinks]

I think my opinion in support for Trumps actions is obvious.

[BillyB]

a bunch of USAian kids used the app to get tickets for Trump's rally, embarrassing him.

If any social media platform allows games to play with an upcoming election, then it's wise for any government to shut them down, especially if it's owned by a foreign company.

[Manny]

I think my opinion in support for Trumps actions is obvious.

So you support government extortion?

What if Trump decreed he’d nationalise 5% of all bank deposits to help the economy, would you support that too?

If not, why do you support one form of government extortion over another?

[andrewfi]

Billy, Billy, Billy, do keep up. Tik Tok is not being shut down.
Are you suggesting that Tik Tok should be closed down rather than sold?

Given the behaviour of a few USAian site users, are you suggesting that the Trump regime is being unwise to force an American company to take over the US operations of Tik Tok?

If you are unhappy that a group of your countrymen tried to get tickets for a rally (a perfectly legitimate activity) don't you think it more appropriate to act against the people who applied for tickets?

What did Tik Tok do that was wrong?

[Steveboy]

What is all the fuss about? Crookbook sorry I mean facebook has been systematically stealing everyones personal information for a long time and selling it on to ANY Tom Dick and harry 

[andrewfi]

Of course it is an invented problem for political purposes. The problem is that so many USAians are so woefully unable to know or think that they are able to be manipulated very easily - just see this thread for evidence!

[BillyB]

Billy, Billy, Billy, do keep up. Tik Tok is not being shut down.
Are you suggesting that Tik Tok should be closed down rather than sold?

Given the behaviour of a few USAian site users, are you suggesting that the Trump regime is being unwise to force an American company to take over the US operations of Tik Tok?

If you are unhappy that a group of your countrymen tried to get tickets for a rally (a perfectly legitimate activity) don't you think it more appropriate to act against the people who applied for tickets?

What did Tik Tok do that was wrong?

Do keep up. I didn't say TikTok was being shut down. I offered an "opinion". Lets try again. If TikTok becomes a platform that to hurt the fundraising of candidates prior to an election, then they should be shut down. Is that easy enough for you to understand?

[Contrarian]

a bunch of USAian kids used the app to get tickets for Trump's rally, embarrassing him.

If any social media platform allows games to play with an upcoming election, then it's wise for any government to shut them down, especially if it's owned by a foreign company.

Two thumbs up!!

If TikTok had been used to mess with Biden we would never hear the end of it!

The Demonrats would be demanding sanctions against China, no doubt about it.

[yankee]

I think my opinion in support for Trumps actions is obvious.

So you support government extortion?

What if Trump decreed he’d nationalise 5% of all bank deposits to help the economy, would you support that too?

If not, why do you support one form of government extortion over another?

I would say thank God most of my money is not in banks.

[cufflinks]

China has bigger issues the some kiddie social media property...

What’s Going On Inside China? Is There A Coup D’etat In The Works?

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