[Lonestar1440]

The TikTok ban story deserves more coverage than it's gotten so far, though today might be a turning point. I strongly expect that they will disappear from the main US App stores on 19th January 2025; whether or not I think this is just.

I saw a lot of people dismiss the ban bill out of hand after it was signed. However, I see a lot lining up against them:

1) Flat out refusal by the parent company to sell both strengthens the USG's case and cuts off a major 'win-win' outcome that could otherwise save them

2) The fact that they're the only major foreign owned social media company in the whole pool. This means that USG has far more latitude, legally and politically, to go after them then any other major platform.

3) The zeitgeist shifting away from Social Media in general, as seen in these lawsuits and just in... the world lately.

I could be wrong but I'd definitely bet on it.

[datarespecter]

It seems wrong to be able to force people to sell a company because they're foreign

[JumpCrisscross]

> seems wrong to be able to force people to sell a company because they're foreign

Forced sale to stay in the country is the same as forced JV to enter. Most media markets have, historically, been regulated with respect to foreign ownership.

[Lonestar1440]

Right or wrong, the USG can do more stuff to inhibit foreign corporations operating here than it can to domestically owned ones. I expect we will see that play out as the deadline approaches here.

[ClumsyPilot]

> The fact that they're the only major foreign owned social media company in the whole pool

Kind of out a big question mark over ‘free and fair competition’ thing.

[JumpCrisscross]

> strongly expect that they will disappear from the main US App stores on 19th January 2025

Eh, they'll still be on TikTok.com. Keep in mind, too, that the app store monopolies are being dismantled.

[Lonestar1440]

For sure, and I'm glad that the Government's powers don't go any further to truly "censoring" the content regardless of the platform. Even this current order is borderline, hence why I dance around the morality of it as I comment.

I do think that an App Store ban would be an effective tool. I don't think that average consumers would use the .com, over YT shorts or threads or whatever.