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As we jump into Sunday morning, the day of rest, we bring you more deep thoughts by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) for your Sunday morning reading pleasure.
The social media-loving socialist took to her first TikTok last night in support of the Chinese-owned app saying an outright ban “doesn’t feel right”.
This is not only my first TikTok, but it is a TikTok about TikTok”-AOC
A TikTok about TikTok. Say, Sandy? If this is your first TikTok, how do you know anything about it. And if you know as much about TikTok as you do economics, step away, darling.
Do I believe TikTok should be banned? No.”-AOC
Go on, Alexandria.
I think it’s important to discuss how unprecedented of a move this would be. The United States has never before banned a social media company from existence, from operating in our borders. And this is an app that has over 150 million Americans on it.
They say because of this egregious amount of data harvesting, we should ban this app. However, that doesn’t really address the core of the issue.
In fact, the United States is one of the only developed nations in then world that has no significant data or privacy protection laws on the books. So to me, the solution here is not to ban an individual company — but to actually protect Americans from this kind of egregious data harvesting that companies can do without your significant ability to say no.
Usually when the United States is proposing a very major move, that has something to do with signifiant risk to national security, one of the first things that happens is that Congress receives a classified briefing. So why would we be proposing a ban regarding such a signifiant issue without being included on this at all? It just doesn’t feel right to me.”-AOC
It doesn’t feel right to me? It doesn’t feel right that the other powers-that-be are not running this through her? Tell me, what feels right about a rival country of ours data harvesting and collecting information on us, our kids? Not to mention…a classified briefing? The social-media obsessed AOC is the last person I would trust with a classified briefing. This dumbass would spread it all over the place. Gathering info on millions of Americans by the Chinese Communist Party? Take a look:
Just Trump paranoia, right AOC?
And we really don’t need TikTok. We have The Biden Administration, including you, feeding the CCP all kinds of information, thank you very much.
You know AOC,for defending Tik Tok will now get a million dollars from CCP
— ❤️❤️ (@MonteVardi) March 26, 2023
We are a government by the people and for the people. I think a lot of this is putting the cart before the horse.
Our first priority should be in protecting your ability to exist without social media companies commodifying every single piece of data about you.”-AOC
Ohhhhhh-kay. But isn’t that what the Chinese are doing to store stuff that is in conflict with us via TikTok? But banning the platform, to AOC just “doesn’t feel right”.
Let’s talk “protecting our ability to exist”, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. How did you protect a neighborhood’s ability to exist by running a company out of town that would have brought jobs and economic security to the community? And “it doesn’t feel right to you”? Really? Let’s talk about what’s “not right”, AOC?
Did it “feel right” to you to complain about your rent when you strutted around in designer shoes? We know, your friends at Refinery 29 say this was not a “socialism issue”.
Did it “feel right” to you when you complained about air travel but currently depend on major airlines to transport you wherever? We know, you flying first class “wasn’t a big deal“.
Did it “feel right” to you to hop on a plane to Miami (in a red state) for a mini-vacation where you ran around maskless (and caught COVID)? I know. Even Congresswomen deserve vacations.
Did it “feel right” to you to wear a dress emblazoned with “Tax The Rich” at a pretentious, elitist event where only the “servants” were masked? I know. We all love to talk sh*t about those who “walk the walk“. We missed the point.
Does it “feel right” to lecture the young and stupid on the benefits of socialism on Instagram whilst eating your expensive cheese you bought at Whole Foods and sipping on a vintage Shiraz? What about all of this feels right to you?
I think AOC’s statements on TikTok tell us a great deal about her politics. In typical millennial fashion (not all millennials, mind you), she is all about those feels. (Insert whiny, nasal AOC voice here): It just doesn’t feeeeeeel right. Because governing should be based on the feelings of those “in charge”. The feelings should outweigh the potential risks and danger of our rivals getting a hold of our data and PII. AOC said so.
Tik Tok echoes on …sound of AOC's …
— Sashik Slavian (@AtillaHunor) March 25, 2023
We should quit while we are ahead of the game, I know. AOC will end up being all up in her feelings of her critics on this issue and accuse them all of wanting to sleep with her. She ain’t got time for that. She’s too busy spooning with Xi Jinping. That “feels right”.
Photo Credit: Original Artwork by VG, Darleen Click
Welcome Instapundit Readers!
GWB says: to actually protect Americans from this kind of egregious data harvesting that companies can do without your significant ability to say no
Hmmmmm…. In actuality, the ability to say “no” is very “there”. All you have to do is not use the product. Of course, when there’s a monopoly product – like, say, Google or Microsoft – that becomes near impossible. At least if you want to participate in the 21st century market, increasingly online.
the United States … has no significant data or privacy protection laws
So, have you ever heard of the Privacy Act of 1974? Oh, wait. What you mean is protection from what private concerns do when you hand them information you shouldn’t hand them.
The problem with banning TikTok (and I really don’t mind if we do that, despite being a very little gov’t kind of person) is it doesn’t address the real problem: the fact that a couple hundred million Americans don’t mind sharing their personal details online. And that’s primarily because the vast majority of them have never encountered the consequences of other people getting that information – legitimately or not. With 200 million Americans’ information online in several easily hackable places, there’s still only a few thousand who lose their credit ratings or their SS because of it. A bunch got a free credit report out of it. Nothing like money missing from their accounts or their house sold out from under them. They are living large and easy, and they just don’t care.
But, all of that means the rest of us deal with an increasingly small world, as we can’t conduct transactions or express out opinions or simply buy certain things because those brick and mortar stores all went away. We can’t have non-invasive programs, or non-tracking phones, or even buy applications instead of leasing them – there’s just not enough care in the marketplace for privacy and non-“interconnectedness” for it to supply our needs. And so, they turn to the gov’t….
Liz says: AOC is a garbage human.
Washington DC is filled with absolute garbage humans.
I don’t know the answer because the only people who would want to serve in government under the current conditions are either corrupt or naive.
And the naive have their lives ruined and either have to bow out eventually or they too become corrupt.
There are very few exceptions.
For many years I watched as computers and blackberries came in from China, delivered to our military installations. No one seemed to worry about importing technology from one of our main adversaries. It was strange. So I’m glad some folks are finally taking the threat seriously (better late than never I suppose).
Side note: GWB is right about personal information “sharing” above. FWIW, our (family) personal information has been stolen a number of times, and every time we know of it was via the DOD’s sloppiness. China has the personal info of everyone with a security clearance and nothing whatsoever was done about it.
Kevin says: I stopped using Tik Tok about two years ago. I found myself heading to bed around 9 pm with my tablet and looking at Tik Tok and before I knew it, it was 2 or 3 am. My mind was consumed with seeing “the next 2 minute” video in an infinite stream of videos. Given the recent evolution of humans, our brains have yet to catch up with the intoxicating allure of high energy, constant stimuli, and neuron exploding videos that pass before our eyes. It’s another form of addiction. We have yet to fully understand the impact social media has on young, developing minds.
Humans get the false feeling that they are “connected to a community” via social media. What humans don’t understand is … when you need help (someone to stop by to check in on an elderly person, a ride to the doctor for a medical appointment, providing comfort after losing a loved one, the comfort of a loving touch … and a million other examples) your “internet friends” are going to be unable or unwilling to “show up.” The internet cannot/will not take the place of “human connection.”
Aren’t “conservatives” all in favor of an unrestricted (freedom of speech) internet? Say what you want on Twitter and don’t filter/screen/verify whether it’s accurate or not … it’s up to the reader to figure out fact from fiction. If that’s the case, “Banning Tik Tok doesn’t feel right.”
Liz says: I’m against a Chinese driven psyop on US citizens (especially youth).
Therefore I am for banning Tik Tok as a platform.
Otherwise, your post is very considered, and well said!
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