Senate Hearing with TikTok CEO Highlights Lawmakers' Lack of Understanding
"Looms to the Left of Me, Calculators to the Right. Here I am Stuck in the Middle With You."
Luddites, everywhere. Boomers, everywhere. Olds, everywhere.
Senators to the Left -
This week's Senate hearings were just another embarrassing parade of erudite troglodytes - reading questions written by staffers and mispronouncing words left and right - it is Tik Tok, not TicTac, and "algorithm" deserves a few practice pronunciations before camera time.
One guy asked if Tik Tok used his home WiFi. Another lady couldn't pronounce "algorithm" and one dude called it TicTac.
Lobbiests for Meta, Alphabet and any other social platform getting destroyed by TikTok are on the Warpath trying to get TT banned.
I watched the hearings live.
I am NOT A Red Chinese fanboy. It strikes as ironic, and alarming that readers go to TikTok knowing it is filtered, but not by US concerns. With the FBI/Twitter revelations, and the Meta acknowledgment that the FBI 'warned' of misinformation, which was misinformation itself, it is no wonder that TT's audience grows in almost all demos.
One American tradition I see our congress is living up to, legislating competition into oblivion: The Tucker Torpedo, and that dude who invented the intermittent wiper.
Finally, and most embarrassing - how can anyone take anything the ID 10Ts say about technology, seriously? The lack of everyday technical knowledge displayed by these elected government workers is stunning and pathetic. Cringe. Boomers? Olds? Term limits? This goes for BOTH/ALL parties.
Joke.
While it may be true that the Red Chinese might know how many dancing girls you've ogled, there is more proof that Meta, Alphabet, and the old Twitter actually DID manipulate the feeds, streams, and access.
YOU VOTED FOR THEM.
The recent Senate hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew was a prime example of lawmakers' lack of understanding and uninformed questioning regarding social media platforms and technology. During the hearing, lawmakers expressed skepticism about TikTok's data collection practices and its ties to China, calling for a ban on the app in the United States. However, many of the concerns were based on unfounded fears and misinformation.
One of the main issues raised during the hearing was the accusation that TikTok promotes harmful content, such as suicide and self-harm. However, TikTok's algorithm only returns content that the user has been searching for or engaging with. This means that lawmakers who are making these claims may be searching for and engaging with such content themselves. In fact, a recent study by the University of California, Berkeley found that TikTok users are exposed to far less harmful content than users of other social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.
Another issue that was brought up during the hearing was TikTok's data collection practices. However, independent researchers have concluded that TikTok does not collect any more data than other social media platforms. In fact, a 2020 study by the Washington Post found that TikTok collects fewer data than Facebook and Google, two of the largest tech companies in the world.
Despite this, lawmakers continued to push for a ban on the app, citing concerns about national security and foreign access to US user data. However, TikTok has emphasized its independence from China and its commitment to protecting user data. In fact, the app is not available in mainland China and is headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore. TikTok has also stated that it has never provided data to the Chinese government and has no intention of doing so.
The lack of understanding among lawmakers about technology and social media platforms is concerning. Instead of having informed discussions about how to protect user data and privacy while promoting innovation and free expression, the hearing was filled with grandstanding and misinformation. Lawmakers need to understand that banning or censoring TikTok based on unfounded fears and ignorance would be a blow to the freedom of expression and the rights of individuals to access information.
The Senate hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew highlighted the need for lawmakers to have informed discussions about social media platforms and technology.
Fear and misinformation should not be used to push agendas, and lawmakers need to understand that TikTok is a cultural phenomenon that provides a platform for people of all ages to express themselves and connect with others. The accusations against TikTok are unfounded, and the app should not be censored or banned based on these claims. It's time for lawmakers to work with tech companies to find solutions that protect user data while promoting innovation and free expression.
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Tagline: Fear and Misinformation Should Not Drive Decisions About Social Media Platforms
Search Question: How Can Lawmakers Balance Privacy and Innovation on Social Media Platforms?
Keyword List: TikTok, social media, privacy, innovation, freedom of expression, misinformation, fear, lawmakers, user data
Tweet: The recent Senate hearing with TikTok CEO highlights the need for informed discussions about social media platforms and technology. #TikTok #Privacy #Innovation #FreedomOfExpression
Intro Paragraph for a LinkedIn Post: The recent Senate hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew highlighted the lack of understanding among lawmakers about social media platforms and technology. Instead of having informed discussions about how to protect user data and privacy while promoting innovation and free expression, the hearing was filled with grandstanding and misinformation. This post explores the need for lawmakers to work with tech companies to find solutions that protect user data while promoting innovation and free expression.
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