Russ Smith
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thread 1/9
The TikTok "ban" legislation discussion has overtaken the conversation in a few of my groups. While a merge of complex topics, my headline is: I support the legislation as our next move.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 2/9
First, the term "ban" is misleading. The legislation, as written, does not remove the software from American iSpace. Rather, it requires ByteDance to sell the application (and its backing servers) to an American entity.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 3/9
If the sale is not accomplished within a certain timeframe, then authorization for additional action (up to and including an actual ban) becomes authorized. Calling this directional legislation a "ban" is misleading.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 4/9
Next, in recognition of the changing landscape of information sharing in our modern world... count the number of news organizations who can influence and affect the American populace without their app and web presence? When you get past zero, call me.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 5/9
So, we understand that the communication media landscape now clearly includes (or has shifted to) the intarwebz. Fine. We already have laws that say foreign entities cannot own our radio and television media. Why is a large, social media platform any different?
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 6/9
We don't want a foreign adversary to use our radio and TV to send disinformation or misinformation to our population, regardless of intent but specifically to control our political process.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 7/9
TikTok literally used pushed notifications to tell its users to contact their congressional representative to vote against this legislation. That is exactly what our existing laws are meant to prevent with traditional media - so seemingly we need an internet version.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 8/9
The bigger issue, of course, is the use of user data (including GPS location data) against the interests of the users and society as a whole. The glaring problem with that sentence is ByteDance is NOT the only entity doing it. It's just the only FOREIGN one.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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Russ Smith
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thread 9/9
The US is so incredibly, glaringly, obnoxiously tardy in implementing comprehensive legislation regarding data privacy, disclosure, and responsibility. Passing this legislation likely makes that problem worse in the short term but it's still the right step.
11:31 AM - Mar 16, 2024
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