The ban of an app like TikTok is absolutely unprecedented and is very atypical. This isn't par-for-the-course behavior by the US government, and the outcome of this ban will set a precedent for other apps the US bans on "national security" grounds.

The most recent example was Grindr which was first sold to Chinese company and the government had to force them to sell it back because the app contained location info of potentially sensitive military personnel.

Didn't they ban the use of Huawei in all telecommunication infrastructure a few months ago?

TikTok is not a national security threat. That’s ridiculous.

Better argument for it than for Canadian aluminum.

How come? Clearly the app is used by the youth. Having gullible youth using the app of a country that's knows for its in-app propaganda is very clearly a national security risk.

In-app propaganda? What the hell are you talking about? Have you even used the app?

It is a slippery slope from watching your friends do a silly dance to becoming a communist.

I guess. I don't know.

Genuinely curious about examples of in-app propaganda as related to Tik Tok.

I don't know that the US version has any. But there is a risk that algorithms get tuned to influence youth imo. I think all youth-oriented products have this problem, but China is a riskier actor in that regard.

There are a few video when you type "tiktok propaganda" on youtube. Not sure since I haven't used the app.

What are the national security concerns for these apps that are not present in the multitude of other apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Zoom, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Gmail, iMessage, Facetime, Vine, Snapchat, YouTube, etc?

What about the suspicions that Trump is upset that TikTok users helped sabotage one of his big rallies and this is retaliation and thus an overextension of his powers and an exercise in authoritarianism (something he's already done many times anyway)?

> What are the national security concerns for these apps that are not present in the multitude of other apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Zoom, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Gmail, iMessage, Facetime, Vine, Snapchat, YouTube, etc?

These are all American companies. Wechat and TikTok are controlled by Chinese companies.

> What about the suspicions that Trump is upset that TikTok users helped sabotage one of his big rallies and this is retaliation and thus an overextension of his powers and an exercise in authoritarianism (something he's already done many times anyway)?

I suspect that was actually his motive, and the national security reasoning is just a pretext. That said, a stopped clock is right twice a day.

It is pathetic to see my fellow Americans giving up freedom for “national security” - as the adage goes, they deserve neither.

This is hardly giving up freedom. It is literally the job of the government to be an interface between America and the rest of the world and it is within their purview to deem chinese companies that can collect data on americans a security risk.