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President Trump Plans to Ban TikTok in the US. Here's What Became the Final Straw.
Townhall ^ | 08/01/2020 | Beth Baumann

Posted on 08/01/2020 7:43:16 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

President Donald Trump plans to ban the popular social media app TikTok from the United States as early as Saturday. He said he plans to use an executive order to make the move.

“As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One late Friday night.“I have that authority...It’s going to be signed tomorrow."

The move would force ByteDance, the Chinese parent company, to divest and sell its United States operations. As of now, Microsoft has been the leading contender in buying the popular social media platform.

The news comes after talks between the Trump administration and ByteDance came to a standstill. Even though the Chinese company planned to sell its U.S. operations, they wanted to have a minority stake in the company.

TikTok has posed a national security risk because of its privacy concerns. In fact, the company has been slapped with lawsuits over this very issue. Earlier this year four teens in Illinois sued over the company's use of biometric data.

"TikTok uses facial recognition software to superimpose filters on users’ faces, and artificial intelligence to evaluate the quality of uploaded videos and determine the user’s age, according to the lawsuit. Through those processes, TikTok allegedly acquires the user’s facial geometry," the Chicago Tribune reported in May.

In February of 2019, TikTok – formerly Musical.ly – settled a $5.7 million lawsuit for collecting personal data on children using the app, a clear violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), WHSV-TV previously reported. The COPPA requires parental consent before collecting data on kids.

Despite its growing controversy, TikTok stated they have been committed to the privacy of its users.

“We’ve hired nearly 1,000 people to our US team this year alone, and are proud to be hiring another 10,000 employees into great paying jobs across the US.,” a TikTok spokesperson told CNBC in a statement. “Our $1 billion creator fund supports US creators who are building livelihoods from our platform.

“TikTok US user data is stored in the US, with strict controls on employee access,” the statement said. “TikTok’s biggest investors come from the US. We are committed to protecting our users’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bytedance; fakenews; spying; tiktok

1 posted on 08/01/2020 7:43:16 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Read article and unsure “What became the final straw”?


2 posted on 08/01/2020 7:47:26 AM PDT by TruthWillWin
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To: SeekAndFind

Microsoft’s buying TikTok would not make it any less Chinese spyware. Microsoft is almost a Chinese company now and everything MSFT has, China also has.


3 posted on 08/01/2020 7:48:09 AM PDT by arthurus (c)
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To: SeekAndFind

All the while increasing the reach of the CCP into the lives of US citizens.


4 posted on 08/01/2020 7:49:28 AM PDT by Lou Foxwell (It takes a deep level of stupidity to believe Trump is stupid.)
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To: SeekAndFind

The left is very concerned we are shutting off their like-minded friends.


5 posted on 08/01/2020 7:50:13 AM PDT by cp124 (Mask protection=Dust through a chain link fence.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
In February of 2019, TikTok – formerly Musical.ly – settled a $5.7 million lawsuit for collecting personal data on children using the app, a clear violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), WHSV-TV previously reported. The COPPA requires parental consent before collecting data on kids.

6 posted on 08/01/2020 7:51:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: TruthWillWin
Read article and unsure “What became the final straw”?

yes, the editors must take weekends off.

7 posted on 08/01/2020 7:53:42 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: TruthWillWin

Read article and unsure “What became the final straw”?


My thoughts exactly.


8 posted on 08/01/2020 7:53:55 AM PDT by keats5
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To: TruthWillWin

R:E Read article and unsure “What became the final straw”?

From the article:

they wanted to have a minority stake in the company.


9 posted on 08/01/2020 7:54:15 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3870546/posts

Another thread on the topic, 39 replies at this time


10 posted on 08/01/2020 8:00:13 AM PDT by deport
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To: SeekAndFind

The move would force ByteDance, the Chinese parent company, to divest and sell its United States operations. As of now, Microsoft has been the leading contender in buying the popular social media platform.

...

So any ban would be temporary, which makes all the crazy overreactions by Trump haters even more comical.


11 posted on 08/01/2020 8:05:42 AM PDT by Moonman62 (http://www.freerepublic.com/~moonman62/)
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To: arthurus

Absolutely correct.

Award it to Kodak.


12 posted on 08/01/2020 8:06:36 AM PDT by Hostage (Article V)
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To: SeekAndFind
Tik Tok essentially give the Chinese Communists the capability to have secure communications inside the United States and the world.

It also gives them the ability to monitor all those communications.

13 posted on 08/01/2020 8:07:55 AM PDT by marktwain (President Trump and his supporters are the Resistance. His opponents are the Reactionaries.)
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To: arthurus

MS wants to be a Top Four tech company again.


14 posted on 08/01/2020 8:12:26 AM PDT by Lisbon1940 (No full-term Governors (at the time of election))
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To: SeekAndFind

All these plans, just like naming Antifa a terrorist organization. Why not report action taken, instead of telling us what they might do?


15 posted on 08/01/2020 8:20:40 AM PDT by Reno89519 (Buy American, Hire American! End All Worker Visa Programs. Replace Visa Workers w/ American Workers)
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To: Lou Foxwell
All the while increasing the reach of the CCP into the lives of US citizens.

AND, US businesses. Everyone was jumping on the ZOOM bandwagon when it first appeared. My question was: Why do you want the Communist Party of China learning all about your business and what is going on with it?

16 posted on 08/01/2020 8:31:07 AM PDT by LibertarianLiz
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To: SeekAndFind

I never believe a word from China.


17 posted on 08/01/2020 8:55:01 AM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: SeekAndFind
Despite its growing controversy, TikTok stated they have been committed to the privacy of its users.

I'm sure that the Chi Coms would never lie, just like their kissing cousins, the Democrat Party and the Media.

18 posted on 08/01/2020 10:08:28 AM PDT by centurion316
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To: LibertarianLiz

eryone was jumping on the ZOOM bandwagon when it first appeared. My question was: Why do you want the Communist Party of China learning all about your business and what is going on with it?


I had to change doctors because the only way she would see me was if I used ZOOM. I said No Way.


19 posted on 08/01/2020 10:17:49 AM PDT by Dacula
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To: centurion316

The people running TikTok itself may be doing that - but they aren’t going to be told what their parent company is doing with the information they are gathering.


20 posted on 08/01/2020 11:46:25 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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