Subj : TikTok App
To   : Aaron Thomas
From : Lee Lofaso
Date : Tue Jul 05 2022 23:12:17

Hello Aaron,

 AT>>> The FCC chairman isn't powerful enough to push Google and Apple
 AT> aroun

 LL>> Are you saying, or suggesting, that Google and Apple are lackeys
 LL>> for Communist China? Nothing should be done to discourage buying or
 LL>> using products or using services provided by them?

 AT> TikTok is the lackey for China (allegedly.)

The FCC chairman went right out and said it, showing reasons why.

 AT> TikTok doesn't sell anything, but I think they make their money from ads.

The issue was not how TikTok makes money, but the reason why Google
and Apple should remove the app from their stores.

 AT> I'd like to see proof that TikTok is spying for China before anything is
 AT> done to hurt their business.

The FCC chairman has already done that, with a letter to both Google
and Apple. You can view it online.

 AT> It wouldn't be fair to take action after only saying "They're doing
 AT> espionage for China."

The FCC chairman does not have legal authority to act on his own in
the matter, which is why he is asking Google and Apple to remove the
app.

 AT> Besides, what if the allegation is true?

The evidence he presented is pretty damning.

 AT> Do we care what China does?

We should.

 AT> We don't care what they do with viruses at Wuhan University, so why do we
 AT> care about a little spying on some idiots with cellphones?

There are controls at labs around the world that ensure whatever
that might happen is safely contained at those labs. No viruses are
sent to universities for study. Not in China or anywhere else.

When a government uses software embedded in cellphones for spying
purposes, that is definitely something of major concern. Especially
if that government is adversarial, or hostile, to us.

 LL>> In a way you are correct, in that the FCC chairman does not have
 LL>> the authority to force Google and/or Apple to remove the TikTok app
 LL>> from their stores. But he can make it extremely uncomfortable for
 LL>> them to want to keep it available.

 AT> I made a Google app before. They have a lot of rules.

We are talking about an app that has been designed for use by
a government that is not friendly to the USA. The FCC chairman
is right to request both Google and Apple remove the app from
their stores, as doing so would protect all Americans and this
country from harm.

 AT> They have a human review the app before it's published to make sure it
 AT> complies.

Not enough. Especially in cases such as the TikTok app.

 AT> If it complies, it's welcomed to Google Play.

The FCC chairman showed flaws in that method. The app needs to be
removed.

 AT> At that point, the app can become a key component to somebody's business
 AT> (TikTok) and Google won't remove it unless you try to
 AT> release a new update with features that make the app non-compliant.

This was not done. Time to remove the app.

 AT> So if TikTok has been a Chinese spying mechanism this whole time, then being
 AT> a Chinese spying mechanism is not against Google's rules. (I've reviewed
 AT> their app policies before but I don't recall anything about foreign
 AT> espionage.)

This country also has rules. Rules that trump app policies and
whatever goes for Google rules. It is called national security.
The FCC chairman can act on those rules anytime he wants.

For Life,
Lee

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