The TikTok Ban Is “a Vast Overreach, Rooted in Hypocrisy,” Wired’s Katie Drummond says
May 13, 2024
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Katie Drummond, of Wired magazine, discusses the TikTok ban in the US. She sees it as a corporate crusade to suppress a foreign competitor. Drummond criticizes the claim of national security threat as 'rooted in hypocrisy.' The podcast explores the implications of the ban and questions the government's motivation behind the decision.
TikTok ban represents corporate suppression of foreign competition in tech industry.
National security claims against TikTok seen as hypocritical and arbitrary by tech experts.
Deep dives
TikTok's Impact as a Tool for Journalists
TikTok served as a powerful platform for journalists to provide real-time, on-the-ground information during significant events, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Journalists used the app to share video dispatches reaching over 250 million viewers, highlighting the app's reach and effectiveness in disseminating news beyond traditional media channels.
Regulatory Concerns and Algorithm Opacity
There are concerns about TikTok's ownership by ByteDance and its potential ties to the Chinese government, leading to debates around data privacy and national security. The lack of transparency regarding TikTok's algorithm raises questions about the platform's content curation and influence on users' information consumption compared to other social media platforms.
Political Implications and Hypocrisy Surrounding the TikTok Ban
The US government's efforts to mandate the sale of TikTok raise political and ideological debates about national security and foreign influence. Critics point out potential xenophobia and lobbying interests influencing the decision, as TikTok plays a significant role in reaching younger demographics and political campaigns, despite concerns raised about its ownership and data practices.
David Remnick talks with Katie Drummond, the global editorial director of Wired magazine, about the TikTok ban that just passed with bipartisan support in Washington. The app will be removed from distribution in U.S. app stores unless ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, sells it to an approved buyer. TikTok is suing to block that law. Is this a battle among tech giants for dominance, or a real issue of national security? Drummond sees the ban as a corporate crusade by Silicon Valley to suppress a foreign competitor with a superior product. She finds the claim that TikTok is a national-security threat to be “a vast overreach that is rooted in hypotheticals and that is rooted in hypocrisy, and in … a fundamental refusal to look across the broad spectrum of social-media platforms, and treat all of them from a regulatory point of view with the same level of care and precision.”
For another perspective on the TikTok ban, listen to David Remnick’s conversation with the tech executive Jacob Helberg, who lobbied lawmakers to pass it. The segment will publish on the New Yorker Radio Hour feed on Tuesday.