Re:The FBI alleges TikTok poses national security concerns
by ehnto on Friday November 18, 2022 @10:02AM
(#33655695)
Surveillance isn't the issue I don't think, it's influence. It was easy to underestimate the affect of misinformation back in 2016, but I think by now, after a few political sojourns and a pandemic both riddled with division and information chaos, we should be taking it seriously.
It's not that China would try to convert Americans to communism, but I think we should be worried that they could attempt to sway election results via TikTok. TikTok is the most efficient algorithmic feed based website to date, it's ability to take a human and just pour bite sized information into their lives is unmatched in my opinion. It makes you feel like you're part of a group that doesn't even exist, get enough talking heads talking about a topic and you get grass roots cultural movements as people imagine extreme ideas are widespread when they're not.
It's not that China would try to convert Americans to communism, but I think we should be worried that they could attempt to sway election results via TikTok. TikTok is the most efficient algorithmic feed based website to date, it's ability to take a human and just pour bite sized information into their lives is unmatched in my opinion. It makes you feel like you're part of a group that doesn't even exist, get enough talking heads talking about a topic and you get grass roots cultural movements as people imagine extreme ideas are widespread when they're not.