This isn't about privacy, it's about geopolitics. I don't think TikTok would be under such pressure if it was a Western company.
American companies are global. They won't face this type of harassment in other nations ... For now. But these are keeping count, and when the US won't be strong enough to force such policies, they'll do the same to American companies.
I wouldn't be celebrating if I were a competitor. This is bad precedent. Hegemony is fluid, and China is rising regardless.
100%. It’s definitely geopolitical. My view is that they should say it blatantly. Make it as clear as possible.
With regard to China rising. Over the last 20 years I’d say so, but recently, their stagnation economy and nose-diving real estate values are worrying. We’ll have to see how the next few years develop.
Valid view on China. It reminds me of a thesis that the authors of Why Nations Fail advance: growth under extractive institutions has it's limits. Maybe China is nearing that limit. But we'll see.
China won’t allow any US social media products or apps including Uber in their society and yet has free reign to import their views and culture to ours.
TikTok the application is literally banned in China.
Their counterpart, Douyin, inserts educational clips into their algorithm and has a built in time limit.
At a basic trade relations level, the US should not allow any foreign national to import media and culture to our people if we cannot respond in turn, especially if that application has been banned in its home country.
Also disagree above with Patrick that “China’s rise is inevitable”. They are approaching the middle income trap and have huge demographic problems due to years of their “one China policy”
Yes it’s geopolitical. Obviously it’s geopolitical. But when there is a trade imbalance that should be rectified.
We agree, for the most part. I think there’s a serious trade imbalance in China’s stance towards U.S. consumer social apps.
If that’s what Congress wants you to address, they should. But the framing of this bill - a privacy fix - simply isn’t the truth. Not when Meta, Google, Amazon can do what they want wrt customer data.
Do you think this can be approached by Congress in a better way? Or do you think this bill is optimal?
We agree then pretty much all the way. I completely agree any framing of this about “privacy” is hypocritical on the basis that all of our social media platforms harvesting and selling data
That being said, this bill is much better than the last one and I hope it passes based on the trade goals I outlined.
The reason they’re couching it as a “privacy” is plausible deniability so as to try not to escalate things with China but it doesn’t make it any less disingenuous but I suppose that’s politics
This isn't about privacy, it's about geopolitics. I don't think TikTok would be under such pressure if it was a Western company.
American companies are global. They won't face this type of harassment in other nations ... For now. But these are keeping count, and when the US won't be strong enough to force such policies, they'll do the same to American companies.
I wouldn't be celebrating if I were a competitor. This is bad precedent. Hegemony is fluid, and China is rising regardless.
Hey Patrick,
100%. It’s definitely geopolitical. My view is that they should say it blatantly. Make it as clear as possible.
With regard to China rising. Over the last 20 years I’d say so, but recently, their stagnation economy and nose-diving real estate values are worrying. We’ll have to see how the next few years develop.
Valid view on China. It reminds me of a thesis that the authors of Why Nations Fail advance: growth under extractive institutions has it's limits. Maybe China is nearing that limit. But we'll see.
To push back here slightly:
China won’t allow any US social media products or apps including Uber in their society and yet has free reign to import their views and culture to ours.
TikTok the application is literally banned in China.
Their counterpart, Douyin, inserts educational clips into their algorithm and has a built in time limit.
At a basic trade relations level, the US should not allow any foreign national to import media and culture to our people if we cannot respond in turn, especially if that application has been banned in its home country.
Also disagree above with Patrick that “China’s rise is inevitable”. They are approaching the middle income trap and have huge demographic problems due to years of their “one China policy”
Yes it’s geopolitical. Obviously it’s geopolitical. But when there is a trade imbalance that should be rectified.
Would love your thoughts
Hey Matthew,
We agree, for the most part. I think there’s a serious trade imbalance in China’s stance towards U.S. consumer social apps.
If that’s what Congress wants you to address, they should. But the framing of this bill - a privacy fix - simply isn’t the truth. Not when Meta, Google, Amazon can do what they want wrt customer data.
Do you think this can be approached by Congress in a better way? Or do you think this bill is optimal?
We agree then pretty much all the way. I completely agree any framing of this about “privacy” is hypocritical on the basis that all of our social media platforms harvesting and selling data
That being said, this bill is much better than the last one and I hope it passes based on the trade goals I outlined.
The reason they’re couching it as a “privacy” is plausible deniability so as to try not to escalate things with China but it doesn’t make it any less disingenuous but I suppose that’s politics