TikTok users. Tens of millions of them. Notice that TikTok is a social media app which created a numerous new art and social movements. That's why TikTok videos are actually dominating Instagram too. There are many people who got famous on TikTok.

Techies often forget that the numbers in the analytics screen means human beings. "The tech" is deeply psychopathic industry unfortunately, they can't grasp the pain their actions can cause to people.

Without TikTok, I don't have speech?

You're arguing in bad faith, the point is that limiting access to speech platforms is not in the interest of citizens and only serves the government.

> You're arguing in bad faith

I'm using the Socratic method. I don't have TikTok so I'm shocked to learn that I haven't been able to express myself.

Why not just make your points and engage with its replies like everyone else does? No one gains anything from your attempts to get people to say what you want them to say so you can "gotcha" them.

> Why not just make your points and engage with its replies like everyone else does?

Why are you infringing on my freedom of speech right now? I'll discuss this topic in the civil manner that I prefer.

It's strange to assume that freedom of speech means freedom from criticism.

Where do I claim that it does?

> Why are you infringing on my freedom of speech right now?

> Why not just make your points and engage with its replies like everyone else does?

My reply was half made in jest but it's ironic they're crying about freedom of speech while telling me the correct way to discuss my ideas.

I was merely asking why you "discuss your ideas" in the way that you did, because it didn't seem to go over very well. You seem to have a point to make but never did so. You're indeed free to discuss things however you like, but everyone who sees through your "discussion" is also free to react negatively.

I read comments here because I sometimes learn new things or gain new perspectives, and I think that is the point of having a comment section, especially so on this website. I "told you the correct way to discuss your ideas" because I wanted to know what you actually thought, because your comments didn't convey that.

Also, when did I cry about freedom of speech? My only comment in this thread (before this one) was in response to your failed "gotcha" attempt.

That's not bad faith. Your argument is bollocks -- free speech in action. And it was not impacted by using or not using TikTok.

Were TikTok to be banned, that comment would still exist.

Likewise, I'll post a video about it... to youtube, to vimeo, to wherever.

This made me wonder, is a conference's choice of which speakers to schedule an act of free speech by the conference organizers?

Is regulation of access to a public square a violation of free speech? What about shutdown of a given public square, knowing there are other squares?

They have enough tanks to squash as many people they'd like in as many town squares as they have, just like everyone saw them do in Tiananmen square.

mine.

Users of facebook and whatever other US-government sanctioned communications platforms continued to be available.

What if I, an American citizen, choose to publish an application that happens to have the same source code as TikTok. Is this not my speech?

I mean, China can find one citizen willing to publish their app for them. If a citizen chooses to publish an app they believe in, is this not speech?

> Whose speech would be limited if the US banned TikTok?

Yours. TikTok will be just the beginning.

You will have the right to speak. But not using "those apps" and not using "those words".

But, who am i preaching to /s

All the American TikTok users' speech.

The government doesn't get to ban speech in the park just because they allow it at the beach.