Blog Archive

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

TikTok taking, plunder in the name of security.

 TIK TOK IS NOT THE FIRST TARGET COMPANY OF U.S.

A PRECEDENT WITH LASTING REPERCUSSIONS



I have yet to see an explanation as to how Tik Tok is using its users in a way that is a national security risk. I suspect it is more that some big players in social media  covet the value of Tik Tok and maybe the NSA is unhappy that Tik Tok is not selling them data on their users as is the practice of the U.S. social media companies.

A survey of U.S. users overwhelmingly are more worried about the NSA monitoring them than China.

It is in effect a taking or plunder of the assets of Tik Tok and it will have repercussion that are not even close to being estimated.

The U.S. has been involved in shady takings before, one is the former French company Alstom that was fined and the DOJ charged them with crimes, drove their price down, then arranged a takeover by GE, this happened in 2015, a possible payback by the Obama administration for the support of the GE then owned MSNBC.   https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/219171338015504465/2146364287737013802

Is Tik Tok some sort of payback by the Biden administration and will Trump continue with this practice?

We see the EU regularly fine and extort money from U.S. companies for dubious crimes or failure to adhere to EU rules. 

We see the freezing and the attempts to confiscate Russian assets. We can expect Russia has the ability to freeze and confiscate western assets.

China has the ability to confiscate lots of U.S. assets that are in China.

This law on Tik Tok was passed in the final days of the Biden administration and so far Trump may have no way to interfere in this, but he may be able to direct its sale to someone other than the Biden 's intended recipient.  I expect that anyone who questions this plunder will be labeled a China apologist or worse, but this is a precedent that no one can predict its ultimate repercussion. It will not encourage anyone to locate their business in the USA.

If Trump wants to negotiate with Denmark over the use or purchase of Greenland or a lease on the Panama canal, it can be done in a proper way, but if he uses the economic power or the state to intimidate, it will be just the same old use of  U.S. power that has destroyed the reputation and the credibility of the United States.

I believe that Tik Tok should suspend its operations in the U.S. rather than submit to this plunder and let the political and economic repercussions work its will on the senators and legislators who voted for this. It would be a real interesting to see how these young and innovative users will still be able to use Tik Tok. 





 



No comments:

Post a Comment

comments and opinions published at discretion of editor