Biden’s TikTok Flip-Flop: President Rushes To Undo Ban He Championed As Backlash Grows (www.techdirt.com)
from schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de to technology@beehaw.org on 16 Jan 19:17
https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/28703797

#technology

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nesc@lemmy.cafe on 16 Jan 19:22 next collapse

🤡

theangriestbird@beehaw.org on 16 Jan 20:24 collapse

Nothing else to say.

ShepherdPie@midwest.social on 17 Jan 00:59 next collapse

Hmm I wonder if the game now is for Trump to ‘negotiate’ a deal where one of his cronies buys it and turns it into another right-wing propaganda machine just like Musk did with Twitter. I could see that as a reason why he’d backtrack on it so abruptly.

naeap@sopuli.xyz on 17 Jan 13:22 collapse

Isn’t it already a right wing propaganda machine?

SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org on 17 Jan 14:10 next collapse

Not really, I’d say it’s equally spread along all points in the political spectrum currently.

Kwakigra@beehaw.org on 17 Jan 21:32 collapse

Because of the nature of the algorithm, it absolutely is this for plenty of people. It’s also not the case for plenty of people. I doubt there are many right-wingers going on to join a Chinese app called “Little Red Book” which has rules that require the promotion of Chinese socialism. It’s the most popular app in the US now because of this ban.

naeap@sopuli.xyz on 17 Jan 21:51 collapse

Personally I still don’t believe that a completely unknown app was suddenly getting new members in the means of some grassroots protest.
Maybe it is more (or gotten) more known through TikTok and that’s why it was basically unknown for me.
Still, I think this is artificially hyped as a reaction to a potential TikTok ban and not some organic growth - even taking into account people switching in protest

I think, I’ve heard about this app like once in the last years. And, not wanting to sound self centered, but as a software dev and quite interested in anything internet, I find this development rather strange.

Was “little red book” promoted on TikTok or how did so many people, who are usually just consumers of feeds, suddenly heard of that new app?
Especially, when I have a really hard time to have them install a new app, like Signal, in other cases.

Ok, this wasn’t really a good answer to your comment, sorry. You’re right, that the TikTok feed just builds individual bubbles, so right wingers will get more right wing info and the other way round.
But the sudden switch to a practically unknown app just… seems fishy

Kwakigra@beehaw.org on 17 Jan 22:25 collapse

It is a protest. Some Americans may ultimately remain on “Little Red Book” but the main purpose of making it the #1 app in the US was to spite the government. It’s a much more restrictive app than Tiktok, but people are enjoying talking to foreign nationals both ways.

naeap@sopuli.xyz on 17 Jan 23:04 collapse

I completely get all that, but looking at the typical user base that uses mainstream social media platforms, like TikTok, I don’t see them being knowledgeable about some china centered alternative app

I just don’t see, how so many would switch to that, as most of them wouldn’t have known about it a week ago.
Was it promoted on TikTok?

Kwakigra@beehaw.org on 17 Jan 23:10 collapse

Yes, it is a Tiktok meme. A few may actually remain on Xiaohongshu but probably most will migrate to whatever logical replacement pops up.

williams_482@startrek.website on 17 Jan 15:02 next collapse

Trying to enforce anything new right now, just before Trump goes into office, accomplishes nothing and guarantees that Trump will just reverse it. Publicly deciding not to enforce leaves the incoming administration with a less obvious choice PR-wise, and thus the possibility that they might choose to “own the libs” by actually enforcing the ban.

They are largely powerless at this stage, and preparing for an idiot to take over their job. Why not?

beejjorgensen@lemmy.sdf.org on 17 Jan 20:17 collapse

I always wished the Dems would leverage this power a bit more. But who knows–maybe this Biden move is trying to get Trump to ban it.

t3rmit3@beehaw.org on 17 Jan 16:58 next collapse

The fact that Congress could come together so rapidly and so unanimously to do something so stupid, at a time when our country is falling apart, says so much about their priorities. They work for the Capitalist class, not us.

beejjorgensen@lemmy.sdf.org on 17 Jan 20:16 next collapse

Trump: Ban TikTok! Trump: Save TikTok! Biden: Ban TikTok! Biden: Save TikTok!

jdeath@lemm.ee on 18 Jan 05:19 collapse

just a couple of regular old politicians

Rivalarrival@lemmy.today on 18 Jan 05:20 collapse

These two fuckers need to share the same retirement hole.

spit_evil_olive_tips@beehaw.org on 18 Jan 01:27 collapse

me sowing (signing a bill into law and bragging about its bipartisan support): haha fuck yeah!

me reaping (hearing that the Supreme Court has ruled 9-0 to uphold the law that I signed): well this fucking sucks. what the fuck.

there’s always fierce competition in the category of Dumbest Own-Goal by a Democrat…but here comes President “only mostly dead…still slightly alive” Biden with a last-minute buzzerbeater and…MUH GAWD HE’S DONE IT!