The U.S. government should not be in the business of shutting down social media firms on the basis of China-hate. TikTok is no worse (and in fact seems to be far better) than various social media apps from U.S.-based firms. There's a lot of be upset with China about, but TikTok (and drone leader DJI, which also has bipartisan China-hate trying to ban it) are not where Congress should be getting involved. If Congress passes such bans and Biden signs them, there will be major court battles and courts should strike the bans down.
Conversation
Notices
-
Embed this notice
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:10:37 JST 
Lauren Weinstein
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:10:32 JST 
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
do you know who Jeff Yass is?
he's one of the biggest #GOP donors
he funds an Israeli right wing think tank that authored Netanyu's attempted take over of the judiciary
and he owns a 15% stake in #tiktok
tiktok is the domestic filth you are concerned with, it is not magically immune from your concerns
it's hard to wrap my head around the existence of people on #mastodon of all places defending the garbage that is tiktok
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:10:32 JST 
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Im not sure what point your making. The fact that someone who bought some tiktok stock has done some bad things has what exactly to do with tiktok? Is he the CEO or even work for them?
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:10:33 JST 
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@lauren @CaptMorgan I don’t even hate #ElonMusk but you’re 100% right. In fact, there are two problems with this whole #TikTok fearmongering debacle:
The power to relatively arbitrarily ban a social media platform will likely be misused and abused.
Domestic social media platforms are far greater threats because the government can more easily manipulate or control them.
-
Embed this notice
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:10:35 JST
Lauren Weinstein
@CaptMorgan I consider Zuckerberg and Musk to be vastly more dangerous in terms of security and privacy risks than TikTok. If China wants data on U.S. citizens, right down to detailed PII, all they have to do is buy it (even if through third parties) from the U.S. data brokers that Congress refuses to control. China doesn't need to screw around with social media apps and drones to do it. It's all utter nonsense.
-
Embed this notice
CaptMorgan (captmorgan@freeradical.zone)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:10:36 JST 
CaptMorgan
@lauren the point is not to punish China, it’s because its a security threat. Think of it this way - imagine if Musk bought Tik Tok. It would be a shit show right? Nobody would disagree. Now, instead of Musk, imagine it was Xi Jinping. Same shit show, except Xi already effectively controls Tik Tok. See where this is going? Its not about punishing China or Tik Tok, its just we dont trust the Chinese Communist Party to be in control of a social media company with so much power in the US
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:15:50 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
I mean tats literally some random dude with shares, granted its a high value of shares, but still a random dude with shares. You do know a share holder, no matter how many shares they hold, does not get to dictate or influence day to day operations at a company right?
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:15:51 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren just read the article. he owns over 15% valued at 15 billion. His susquehanna group gave startup funding for bytedance in 2012. He's not "some random investor"
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:17:57 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
"I mean tats literally some random dude with shares"
I stopped reading here. All you are saying is that you have no idea what you're talking about.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:17:57 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
I mean, i literally just took a company public and run several corporations.. Pretty sure I know exactly how this works.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:21:22 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
It would literally be illegal (and very uncommon) for an investor who holds no position in a company to have any day-to-day influence. They can and do have influence when they hold a position in the company. That position may even be as a board member, though this would very much limit their dat-to-day influence.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:21:23 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren well then you know a major stakeholder that helped found a company has influence, he's not some rando. Additionally you know that tiktok is funding the GOP and right wing Israeli think tanks through him
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:23:44 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Not what I said... try reading what I said and try again.
My new company has about 7 founding investors at about the same ownership % as him... I have never even heard from a single one of them past the initial investment. I run the company and they dont even know me, let alone have influence.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:23:45 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
Okay. A major founding stakeholder in a company has absolutely nothing to do with the company. You win. 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:25:04 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
On the flip side me and 2 other investors DO hold positions, all C-level, and as a result of holding positions we have a great deal of influence as founders.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:25:29 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Yea, you not reading things before having strong incorrect opinions is quite clear.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:25:30 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren Unread. Uninterested. You're not being serious.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:28:51 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
That's right. This biased nonsense of mine that major founding stakeholders have something to do with their companies makes me a total crackpot. 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:28:51 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Oh you are certainly a crackpot, but your misrepresentation of my argument isnt why.. well it is, but for reasons you clearly struggle to understand.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:30:14 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren yes I agree. There is a hamster somewhere in this thread struggling mightily to turn its wheel 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:30:14 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Indeed there is.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:34:12 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren you got it bud! Good luck with your companies. Might want to look into how shareholders wield power in company decision making my friend. Take care.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:34:12 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
You might want to try bringing your reading comprehension up. I never said they had no influence in decision making. I said they have no influence on day-to-day operations. Words are your friend.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:38:17 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Thats what happens when you dont actually read what was really said... glad you realized reading the **whole** thing is important. Hopefully you wont make that mistake again in the future.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:38:18 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren oh wow! That's what you said. Huh. I thought it was "I mean tats literally some random dude with shares". I deeply apologize for my poor reading skills and i am in deep gratitude for you correcting my foolishness. Thank you. 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:40:44 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren sure thing man! you've deeply impressed me with your deep knowledge on the topic. Yeah. 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:40:44 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Cool story bro.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:42:29 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Cool story bro
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:42:30 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren it's more like a pointless petty thread on mastodon going on a deranged tangent, but it's amusing
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:46:54 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
why do you follow me
there's a trick where you hit block/ unblock in rapid succession and disable a follow
hold on bro, i'm not blocking you, there might be a lag and you see a block, but that's not my intention, just correcting a misalignment, standby...
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:46:54 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Cool story bro
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:47:40 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
yup, it'sd all good now, you no longer follow me
have fun dude!
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Sunday, 21-Apr-2024 15:47:40 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Cool story bro
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:33 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
This guy truely is a jackass in his comments.. he "pretends" to be a dumbass to mask actually being a dumbass and thinks its some sort of snarky debati g tactic tonpretend to completely misunderstand and misrepresent other peoples point and then argue agaibst the point he made up instead.
Its all very childiah and boring.
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:34 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo Haha well, I’m glad you had fun with the thread at least! Hope you have a good rest of your day and you spend it learning the #English language lol
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:35 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo this entire thread is pointless crap at this point so none of this matters. But thank you sir, for correcting me that when someone calls going after tiktok merely fearmongering, they aren't defending tiktok in any way. you have elevated my reading comprehension 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:37 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo dude you were funny with the 4th grade recess level bs. now you're getting into the level of meanness encountered in 6th grade cafeteria. come on man, do better! 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:37 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo Just curious! I want to be fair to you. Your reading comprehension is REALLY poor, but if #English isn’t your first language, it’d be uncool for me to criticize you for that.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:39 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo thank you man. you've transported me back to 4th grade recess with the stellar "no, u!"
it's been fun clowning with you two. anything else today? are we about done with this pointless thread?
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:39 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo The last question I have is, do you speak #ESL? If so, that does explain some of your behavior here.
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:44 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo See! Knew it! You still haven’t learned to read.
Learn to read!
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:45 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo you called it fearmongering. I quoted you. You said learn to read. I showed the quote. Now you're saying "yeah like well um you still need to learn to read or something, yeah." 🤣🤣🤣
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:47 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
I'm quoting you. Are you saying "learn to read" because you don't even know what your own words are? Or do you know you've been called out and you're hand waving and backing off?
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:47 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo I’m saying “learn to read” because you have been demonstrating an embarrassingly low literacy level throughout this entire thread.
Again, if you think I’m defending #TikTok in any way, you need to learn how to read, and then try again.
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:51 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo Haha! Learn to read. I refuse to carry on this conversation until you choose to do so.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:52 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
you called it fearmongering. you also insinuated domestic spying via domestic apps is far worse. Lol!
If you had any principles about you you would condemn facebook and tiktok like me, as both terrible threats. But you instead want to shield and *defend* tiktok from attack rather than nod your head it should be attacked and demand the same for facebook. that is the only valid position.
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:54 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
that's right a government should stand for freedom
read this my friend:
do you understand how absurd it is defending tiktok on the notion of freedom?
next you're going to tell me bytedance has the wrong number and kind of shares to imply this level of control, right? 🤣 🤣 🤣
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:54 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo Your constant insinuations that I am defending #TikTok are kinda funny lol
-
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:59 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
my friend, Jeff Yass the GOP ghoul helped found bytedance, tiktok's owner, by giving it their initial funding. he's not a rando investor. and from the tenor of the conversation with the other guy you should understand how hilariously ridiculous this empty posturing on a false line of reasoning is
F*** tiktok. Do not engage in absurd denial of what it is
It is already the thing you hate, you're just having trouble accepting that
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:52:59 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @freemo @lauren @benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
Again, 1) 15% of stock is not enough to control a company and 2) #TikTok being bad does not justify giving the government the power to arbitrarily ban a social media platform -
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:53:03 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
oh good lord
🤦
-
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:53:03 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @freemo @lauren @benroyce @CaptMorgan @lauren @freemo
Yes indeed, I too was surprised when I learned this. Apparently, you can't own a company by buying all the stock on #Robinhood! My dreams were dashed.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/class.asp -
Embed this notice
realcaseyrollins ✝️ (realcaseyrollins@social.teci.world)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 09:53:09 JST
realcaseyrollins ✝️
@benroyce @CaptMorgan @freemo @lauren @benroyce @freemo @CaptMorgan @lauren
The thing missing in that exchange is that there are different classes of stocks. One class of stock is available to laymen, another class is available for richer, more serious investors.
Depending on the type of stock, the investor y'all are talking about might be qualified as an official stockholder who therefore can influence the company. Could be the case here; but to get your way you would have to influence other stockholders. 15% is not enough stock to control a company. -
Embed this notice
Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 10:38:04 JST
Ben Royce 🇺🇦
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren
dr. freemo comes in with "I mean tats literally some random dude with shares" and expects any interaction after that embarrassing cringe is anything but a clownshow
i merely meet you at the galaxy brain bar you set my friend. of course it's a waste of time but we aim for entertainment
anyways, i blocked you twice, you refollowed twice. as thirsty as you are i apologize business professor, but the third block will be final. i think you'll survive 🙏
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 10:38:04 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
QED, thanks
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 10:58:09 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
This isthis guys idiotic debate tactic. He completly misrepresents your argument, co tinues to pretend to be too stupid to understand even once you clarify his misubderstanding, thrn mock you for making a bad argument you never made.
Somehow he tbinks actibg like a moron makes him look smart or something.
-
Embed this notice
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱 (freemo@qoto.org)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 11:25:43 JST
🎓 Doc Freemo :jpf: 🇳🇱
Agreed, its an approach i see a lot. It amazes me that someone thinks its a tactic that delivers.
-
Embed this notice
saunders (saunders@annihilation.social)'s status on Monday, 22-Apr-2024 11:25:44 JST 
saunders
@freemo @realcaseyrollins @CaptMorgan @lauren @benroyce bro, that's not this guy's tactic -- that's the tactic for 99.999% of the fools here. That's five nines, for those not counting along.
-
Embed this notice
All GNU social JP content and data are available under the