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A state controlled data harvesting and algorithm propaganda machine is not the equivalent of a private market app.

You could easily even argue this doesn’t come under any first amendments rights because it’s obvious TikTok is an adversarial foreign government controlled entity.



No it's not, and even if it was, if corporations have free speech then why should being owned by an adversarial foreign government change that?


It looks like you're writing that you don't understand why adversaries and friendlies/neutrals should be treated differently.

If you can confirm that's the issue you're not understanding I can put together some examples of the typical/possible consequences of treating enemies like neutrals/friendlies.

Please let me know if that would help you.


No, what I don't understand is why foreign governments should be treated as more adversarial than domestic corporations.


Because domestic corporations agree to work under domestic law, which a country created for a reason, in the US's case pretty democratically, and those laws align with things like individual rights, tort law etc.

An app owned by a foreign government that in no way subscribes to these values gives them freedom to do a lot more shady shit that would have consequences domestically, but don't as a foreign government.

But judging form your comment you don't really see any value difference in Chinese Communist Party values (and laws) vs say Facebook's values (and laws it obeys), so perhaps there's not much to talk about. I do see a difference.


> An app owned by a foreign government that in no way subscribes to these values gives them freedom to do a lot more shady shit that would have consequences domestically, but don't as a foreign government.

If they're breaking the law then they should of course be prosecuted for that. But to argue the law should treat them differently because they're more likely to break the law by doing things that would be legal for a corporation is purely circular reasoning.

> But judging form your comment you don't really see any value difference in Chinese Communist Party values (and laws) vs say Facebook's values (and laws it obeys), so perhaps there's not much to talk about. I do see a difference.

I don't see any difference between e.g. Facebook advertising to advocate for law changes that would suit their interests vs the CCP advocating for law changes that would suit their interests. Facebook has their own values which are by no means representative of the US, and could be just as different from those of regular American citizens as the CCP's.


No, they shouldn’t be treated differently.

And if Facebook was handing data over to Chinese government officials and three letter agencies you’d be damned sure they’d be slammed over it. TikTok is doing it, and god knows what else, and again, there is no oversight.

And yes, I know facebook hands data over to the us, but that is done with oversight and warrants

So I agree with you, I just think TikTok is basically above the law right now


> And yes, I know facebook hands data over to the us, but that is done with oversight and warrants

Is it? Don't they have their own secret courts where those warrants can't be challenged? Didn't the NSA head lie to congress about what they were doing (with no consequences)? I'd bet the PRC has some kind of "oversight" when getting data from TikTok too, just not the kind where regular people can see or object - but that's no different from what the US is doing.


All people should enjoy equal protection under the law.

We hold these truths to be self-evident.




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