The data isn't the most valuable part. Which videos someone likes to watch could be worth something, but given how much easily available information there is already online this isn't a particularly valuable (or sensitive) thing.
The much bigger issue is the algorithm that decides what content to show people. The CCP could decide to leverage that black box to push content that influences users in the ways they desire. That's why the CCP passed a new law to allow them to ban the sale of the algorithm (and they've expressed their willingness to use that to actually block the sale of the TikTok algorithm). Their goal is to either keep control of that so they can influence international users or to keep their potential involvement opaque so that anyone who engages with the algorithm continues to be unaware of the fact that the CCP can push content to any user they want.
I do agree with your second point however.
Wow, CCP will be able to slide into 17 year olds' DMs. Massive security threat.
So much of the TikTok hysteria has been built on "CCP will have X". Is there any verifiable proof at all that CCP is actively and illegally accessing user data through TikTok?
In March and April, all I saw were Trump's worst moments- his blunders, his viciousness, his arrogance. My distaste for Trump heightened; I became more reactive and further triggered by his incompetence. Then, back in early June, every last thing I saw on TikTok was insane forms of rioting and the worst police brutality there was. TikTok effectively increases national attention to things like this.
The algorithm, of course, is reacting to my behavior- behavior which surely suggests that this is the type of content I "want" to see. If I go searching for basketball videos, I can teach the algorithm to populate my feed with them quite easily. But I never used the search bar.
The danger of the echo-chamber, rabbit hole aspect of the algorithm combined with TikTok potentially hand-selecting the types of content to push by default to American people to stir political dissension is very much there.
Facebook is not doing what WeChat is doing, not remotely close.
Facebook allows people to communicate, and censors some stuff that is hateful. You can say anything you want 'against America' on FB. The US government does not have access to FB data without jumping through a lot of legal hoops and process, and even then, it's on a case by case basis. The US government has no influence over FB otherwise.
WeChat is an organ of the state, they have internal staff who are CCP members who ensure party loyalty. They censor absolutely anything and everything they want, they can promote systems that are 'pro-China' and ban others. They can use any and all data for purposes of control and suppression (social score etc.). If they have such apps in foreign countries they can access sensitive information, photos, communications, censor and effectuate propaganda.
Those are not very comparable entities.
now try to find some ccp critical content on WeChat or TikTok (eg videos of Hong Kong protest). Especially while being on mainland China.
please let us know how it went
If you say something about Xi that is negative on WeChat there is almost a 100% chance it will be censored.
They have an Army of censors controlling all thoughts, making sure everyone is line with party ideals.
The comparison can't even be made materially - where do people get their information from? It's scary.
If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and sticking to the rules when posting here, we'd be grateful.
Well, yeah, even when the US does violate the overt guarantees in its Constitution to suppress internal dissent, it's not the foreign intelligence service that is the direct vehicle. Mostly, it’s the FBI/Justice Department.
The CCP plays the game unfairly and cheats blatantly.
All Chinese companies have CCP organs within them that the CPP uses to ensure the company adheres to party policy.
They are using the internet and all it's operating entities as a massive surveillance and enforcement machine.
Try posting a TikTok critical of China, or saying something about HK and see what happens.
The data from Chinese apps can be accessed by Xi & Co. whenever, for whatever purposes, including finding out who your friends are so they can be sanctioned/imprisoned as well.
Now - TikTok USA division - that's another story and it's hard to tell how far enforcement goes. Definitely it's censored and definitely there are elements of propaganda (you can tell from the content) but it's not hugely obvious. As far as data mining, I don't have specific information but I don't see any reason why they wouldn't have access to it just like WeChat.
FYI This is why WeChat is 100% banned and there's no option for them while TikTok has an option to cut off from the parent company.
[1] https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/politics-in-the-boardroom-th...
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/25/china-business...
That's only a small part of what Trump cares about.
Security and trade are much bigger concerns.
Also - this is an election ploy to 'look tough'.
Just like Trump is going after Twitter and FB for being “unfair to conservatives”.
If the CCP had allowed the United Nations to visit the prisons/concentration camps to interview prisoners (etc) then this could have all quickly gone away, assuming the CCP was being honest about what was happening at these concentration camps and the UN could confirm that on the ground.