• bolexforsoup@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    6 months ago

    I’m as critical of the US as anyone but if I have to pick one to spy on me, I’ll pick the US.

    Yes both are bad. Don’t start going “but America” on me please lol. This is not me saying the US isn’t violating our civil liberties regularly. But we do have more here than Chinese citizens do. Also, China has an adversarial stance to the US so there’s another layer to it. Same reason I object to Russia interfering with elections and also don’t like what our own domestic media operations do. Both are bad, but Russia is objectively worse.

    But for real folks don’t download TikTok regardless of who holds the reins.

    • Keith@lemmy.zip
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      6 months ago

      I’d disagree because as an American the US government has a lot more impact on me than the Chinese

      • ben@lemmy.zip
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        6 months ago

        Because we live in reality and there’s no such thing as a perfect state

        • CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Thats a weird angle.

          My thing is, advocating for JUST tiktok to be banned when the American companies are doing the same thing makes zero sense.

          So again, why pick? Choose freedom.

            • CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              It means anyone picking a “side” in the US vs Tiktok debate should reconsider their position (imo anyways)

              • bolexforsoup@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                6 months ago

                I didn’t pick aside. I don’t use TikTok and I don’t care who owns it. But I live in the US, theoretically I would rather one entity spying on me than two lol

                • CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world
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                  6 months ago

                  Why not zero? Aim higher fam, people let themselves be surveilled too easily these days without any resistance

                  • bolexforsoup@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                    6 months ago

                    If I don’t want to be spied on by the US I would have to leave the country, which is not exactly an option. Then I would have to determine a country that does not spy on its citizens or is otherwise not spied on heavily by another country. I’d be very curious with that list looks like. I imagine it’s very small, and very undesirable.

                    I use a lot of digital tools to protect my privacy and have fought for digital privacy rights directly. Don’t lecture me please.

                    Where is this magical land you live?

                    Honestly I’m just getting tired of discussions where people lecture me about “just taking it laying down“ as if somehow I have the ability to end the US surveillance state or otherwise opt out of it. I have limited options, as do all of us. I am acknowledging reality, not saying I endorse it or don’t even push back where I can. These kinds of comments are flippant and annoying.

                    TL;DR: zero isn’t a real option today so don’t act like it is.

      • bolexforsoup@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        6 months ago

        Because that’s the way it is. My dislike of it is immaterial. It’s the current state of affairs today, June 4th, 2024.

        It’s also why I said “if I have to pick.” Whenever these discussions come up people act like that’s an endorsement. No amount of qualifiers prevents this interpretation.

    • KrapKake@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      But what are the Chinese going to be able to do you? If you are an American living under the American government theres much more they could do to you, such as locking you up.