@rbreich Well, that's good business, isn't it. Sadly war too. Some people are manufacturing consent since a few centuries. Profit? driven world (Zeitgeist) manufactured throughout manipulation of masses.
It is time to take a look to the big picture and sustain the panorama. What happened here is just a symptom of curable disease.
@rbreich
In reality, we should be worrying about both. It's unfortunate that the US media portrays the Chinese as villains and tries to spin the narrative that it's only the Chinese that are here to manipulate us.
@rbreich I agree but one, U.S. corporations are doing it to fleece us, make us a product to be sold. The Chinese? Bring our democracy like the Republicans are trying to do; to make their vision of America. Also, from what I have read, the DOJ and NSA briefed our legislators and made a huge impression on both parties. Perhaps they know something we don’t? I can’t imagine what else would make this administration challenge first amendment rights.
because china isn't providing cushy jobs, all-expenses-paid vacations, and bribes... sorry, 'campaign contributions' and 'book sales' - to our members of congress, silly.
Wait.. so.. you mean to say that everyone who was screaming about Twitter and Facebook four years ago weren't worried about how those two entities were manipulating the elections?
@rbreich I'm more worried about the US billionaires who own the Supreme Court and right wing politicians. Not thrilled to see Harlan Crowe as a major donor to the Larry Hogan campaign. And stupid MD Democrats will vote for him.
@rbreich The global oligarchy wants us all distracted with "patriotism" and xenophobia. This is how they maintain control of their various fiefs.
The assault on TikTok isn't about national security as much as it's about a turf war between oligarchs. American disinfo merchants want to maintain their relatively secure monopoly on Americans.
@rbreich "Trying"? Succeeding at levels beyond our capacity to encapsulate. Even those of us who get it are manipulated in ways we are completely unaware of. To the point we have to wonder, are our thoughts even our own?
@rbreich
I find it very funny that everyone is freaking out about TikTok. Yes it has it's issues.
But the China scare is hypocritical.
The USA imports Trillions of dollars of merchandise from China, we literally fund the Chinese government and give them the cash to upgrade their military and technology that they use against us.
Banning TikTok is not the solution. Move manufacturing to other nations, including the USA and stop the funding of a hostile government who allies with Russia & DPRK.
@rbreich yeah, I am pretty sure the law is not supposed to single out specific people and companies, but is supposed to ban specific behaviors.
But we live in a post rule society where the deplorables respond with "well, see if you can stop me!"
I hope they fight it in court, and hope they win, specifically so congress has to write into a law what they are afraid of, and we as consumers can sue Google or Facebook or Amazon if they are doing the same thing.
@rbreich as someone outside the US I've been thinking this for years. I don't know what China might do with our info, but it's guaranteed that US companies will use it for profit.