TikTok hits 1.5B downloads, outperforming Instagram

My only concern with TikTok is data collection being funneled to the CCP.

Unlike Facebook, which is data collection being funneled to Western companies and US agencies.

I think there’s a bit of hysteria here. Tiktok have completely separated their Chinese business and international one, with international server hosted outside China. Saying that data collection is funneled to CCP is like accusing any US company of _potential_ acquisition of foreign data by the US government. Or to rephrase, no Chinese business should have the ability to operate elsewhere because they are from China? I think it’s overboard and even somewhat hypocritical.

We know for a fact that US business funnel data to the US government, often unwillingly, thanks to Snowden.

> Unlike Facebook, which is data collection being funneled to Western companies and US agencies.

As a European, I'd rather have my data stored on US servers than Chinese servers.

Hell, Facebook probably has better security than the NHS.

Chinese GDP growth is headed for <5% anyway.

The US isn't using that data to put Muslims into concentration camps and killing them to take their organs, or marching troops into Hong Kong.

it is actually very doubtful even tiktok has a separate section for internationals. for example, do you trust huawei's international operations?

this is a small part, actually. if the younger generation of the us population is brainwashed by the ccp regime's propaganda, what is going to happen when these kids grow up?

You’re right about the concentration camps, but regarding Hong Kong US has done and is doing worse things. Sadly this is how empires work.

As a programmer, I am seriously curious about how these silly videos can help PRC "put Muslims into concentration camps", "take their organs" or "march troops into Hong Kong"

You can ping the endpoints and see where the servers are, in addition to difference in naming, app, API, domain, etc.

I don't need to trust anyone to verify the things that I can verify myself.

I wouldn’t be so sure,

> In 2014, former CIA and NSA director Michael Hayden said in a public debate, “We kill people based on metadata.”

> According to multiple reports and leaks, death-by-metadata could be triggered, without even knowing the target’s name, if too many derogatory checks appear on their profile. “Armed military aged males” exhibiting suspicious behavior in the wrong place can become targets, as can someone “seen to be giving out orders.” Such mathematics-based assassinations have come to be known as “signature strikes.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/how-...

> Unlike Facebook, which is data collection being funneled to Western companies and US agencies.

You sound like a good candidate to visit China. Experience the difference between east and west for yourself. Let me assure you, I'm very thankful to live in a Democracy. There isn't parity on this issue.

They are already being brainwashed by propaganda in the US, both left-wing (the mass media) and right-wing (some online rabbit holes), I don't see this as much worse.

At least we can bitch about it together...

I don't think they're able to do much bitching over there.

The US left-wing and right-wing media propaganda is just a piece of cake comparing to the CCP's propaganda. Anyone died in Tianman Massacre? Anyone died in Natural Disaster Years of 1960-1963? None. LOL.

Nowadays it is very easy to have a front server with behind-scene server farms. You as a common end user without special tools just cannot see through, unless you are a genius script kid.