TikTok is fast becoming the way most Americans get their news? Well now I’m definitely feeling old. I’ve never used TikTok, nor Twitter/X for that matter. And I gotta admit I was fooled by the hype, I’d thought TikTok was indeed being controlled by the CCP and influencing young minds in a harmful way, like with gender ideology. So I was in favor of the ban, but now I see the bigger picture (they want to ban X, then other dominos, like Substack?).
Kara Swisher can't even get her little invective trio out of her mouth without stumbling. It's hysterical how she thinks that's powerful anymore... and in support of someone so enormously compromised as Biden. All I think with her stumbling through those three words, is relevant clips of Biden superimposed....
"Rapist" (Flash - Tara Reade, his daughter, all the kids he's sniffed)
"Racist" ("Jungle Schools" quote, any one of a hundred clips of him v Clarence Thomas, Corn Pop, You aint Black, Obama is one of those "rare clean, well spoken blacks" etc....)
"Fascist" ("the "red" backlit, Hitlerian fist shaking performance, openly threatening the supreme court justices sitting in front of him at the SOU, tasking OSHA with forcing COVID vaccines, counting illegal migrants in the census to rig the electoral college, etc.)
Like a gun with a barrel that curves back at you...
A very important piece, Sasha, and I think you are right: Banning any platform is to control; that is all the politicians want(aside from a few).
Really, the only thing I can do is educate my kids who range in age 19-26 years. Our youngest developed an eating disorder which left her about two days away from dying; social media was one of the vehicles which left her and her 'friend group' weak from misinformation. She is now healthy and very aware of the vehicles.
Patriot Act 2.0. Great post & links Sasha! I’ve seen people online question/disparage Trump the last 24 for his FlipFlop on TikTok. Why did he support defanging before but not now. You give a nice summary why…Twitter Files and destroying Parlor, for anyone paying attention.
And there you have it: get in there and lie ur ass off by using terms that are 1. factually untrue, and 2. meaningless BECAUSE they are being used as propaganda.
And someone should kick Swisher in the teeth...she's SUCH a douche!
You are an actual genius, Sasha. I never felt comfortable with the "TikTok ban" even though I am opposed to TT down to every cell in my body and won't let my kids anywhere near it. I never knew why, but I think you exposed it. Not even just Trump. Take down everything form of communication that is not controlled by the "progressive" (aka regressive pagan pre-enlightenment) Left.
This is good. There are many on the right - Kane from CFP is very vocal in this - that are insisting that this ban applies to tik tok only and cannot be used on any other platform (or person). Which I find hard to believe because the next time the government stays in its prescribed lane will be the first.
Also, anything - ANY thing - that has broad "bipartisan" support should be a huge, even YUUGE, red flag. It's so odd to see conservatives, even MAGA conservatives, fall into the "bipartisan" trap. Not only that, but this bill does not really ban tik tok - it just make them sell it. Like that will change anything - or do you want to tell me that China's influence is limited to companies they own? That they don't own (cough cough, Joe Biden, cough cough) any politicians? Right. And I have a nice mountain villa for sale here in Indiana.
The solution is to keep this thing, and all social media, from kids. I doubt that's even possible. But I'd rather do nothing than open a Pandora's Box of censorship that will surely unleash forces that will attempt to silence my voice.
Thank you very much for this article, with which I almost fully agree. The one part I'm not sure about is where you say, "We put age restrictions on them, which is what should be happening on TikTok and all other social media apps." I'm not opposed to that in principle, but I have no idea how it could be even loosely enforced. But I admit that, not using social media myself, I'm pretty ignorant about what's possible and what's not. I do know that I, who am well past the age of 21, sometimes look at sites that sell or discuss alcoholic beverages, and am asked to click a button that asks if I'm over 21 before proceeding. OK, but what happens were I to lie?
My apologies for any Substack etiquette violations. I know this is Sasha’s Substack but I thought this dovetailed perfectly. Anyway, for those that may not have access to Matt Taibbi & Walter Kern on America This Week. This is an excellent take on the TikTok story.
TikTok is fast becoming the way most Americans get their news? Well now I’m definitely feeling old. I’ve never used TikTok, nor Twitter/X for that matter. And I gotta admit I was fooled by the hype, I’d thought TikTok was indeed being controlled by the CCP and influencing young minds in a harmful way, like with gender ideology. So I was in favor of the ban, but now I see the bigger picture (they want to ban X, then other dominos, like Substack?).
Sure is hard to keep up these days…
Kara Swisher can't even get her little invective trio out of her mouth without stumbling. It's hysterical how she thinks that's powerful anymore... and in support of someone so enormously compromised as Biden. All I think with her stumbling through those three words, is relevant clips of Biden superimposed....
"Rapist" (Flash - Tara Reade, his daughter, all the kids he's sniffed)
"Racist" ("Jungle Schools" quote, any one of a hundred clips of him v Clarence Thomas, Corn Pop, You aint Black, Obama is one of those "rare clean, well spoken blacks" etc....)
"Fascist" ("the "red" backlit, Hitlerian fist shaking performance, openly threatening the supreme court justices sitting in front of him at the SOU, tasking OSHA with forcing COVID vaccines, counting illegal migrants in the census to rig the electoral college, etc.)
Like a gun with a barrel that curves back at you...
Perfect thanks, also the Catturd X comment is on target. Amr Australia
Boy Sasha, I hope you are right.
Namely that the totalitarian censorship state is shrinking. And May someday have very little or no power.
That censorship mentality is mainly on the left now, but can certainly come from the far right also in time.
The only way to stop this is to practice and support the marketplace of opinion and thought.
Currently leftism, wokeism and much of the once respected Democratic Party greatly support suppression of thought, speech and ideas.
Pray that this coming a rapid end!
Thank you, brilliant piece, right on target...
A very important piece, Sasha, and I think you are right: Banning any platform is to control; that is all the politicians want(aside from a few).
Really, the only thing I can do is educate my kids who range in age 19-26 years. Our youngest developed an eating disorder which left her about two days away from dying; social media was one of the vehicles which left her and her 'friend group' weak from misinformation. She is now healthy and very aware of the vehicles.
Patriot Act 2.0. Great post & links Sasha! I’ve seen people online question/disparage Trump the last 24 for his FlipFlop on TikTok. Why did he support defanging before but not now. You give a nice summary why…Twitter Files and destroying Parlor, for anyone paying attention.
And there you have it: get in there and lie ur ass off by using terms that are 1. factually untrue, and 2. meaningless BECAUSE they are being used as propaganda.
And someone should kick Swisher in the teeth...she's SUCH a douche!
You are an actual genius, Sasha. I never felt comfortable with the "TikTok ban" even though I am opposed to TT down to every cell in my body and won't let my kids anywhere near it. I never knew why, but I think you exposed it. Not even just Trump. Take down everything form of communication that is not controlled by the "progressive" (aka regressive pagan pre-enlightenment) Left.
Thank you!!
This is good. There are many on the right - Kane from CFP is very vocal in this - that are insisting that this ban applies to tik tok only and cannot be used on any other platform (or person). Which I find hard to believe because the next time the government stays in its prescribed lane will be the first.
Also, anything - ANY thing - that has broad "bipartisan" support should be a huge, even YUUGE, red flag. It's so odd to see conservatives, even MAGA conservatives, fall into the "bipartisan" trap. Not only that, but this bill does not really ban tik tok - it just make them sell it. Like that will change anything - or do you want to tell me that China's influence is limited to companies they own? That they don't own (cough cough, Joe Biden, cough cough) any politicians? Right. And I have a nice mountain villa for sale here in Indiana.
The solution is to keep this thing, and all social media, from kids. I doubt that's even possible. But I'd rather do nothing than open a Pandora's Box of censorship that will surely unleash forces that will attempt to silence my voice.
I can't wait to try that Temu site where I can "shop like a billionaire" - I've always wanted an easier way to buy a district attorney or a senator.
Thank you for bringing clarity to this issue! I am not a user and therefore unclear, but I know who I trust: Massie, Paul, you.
Very timely writing. Thank you!
Thank you very much for this article, with which I almost fully agree. The one part I'm not sure about is where you say, "We put age restrictions on them, which is what should be happening on TikTok and all other social media apps." I'm not opposed to that in principle, but I have no idea how it could be even loosely enforced. But I admit that, not using social media myself, I'm pretty ignorant about what's possible and what's not. I do know that I, who am well past the age of 21, sometimes look at sites that sell or discuss alcoholic beverages, and am asked to click a button that asks if I'm over 21 before proceeding. OK, but what happens were I to lie?
My apologies for any Substack etiquette violations. I know this is Sasha’s Substack but I thought this dovetailed perfectly. Anyway, for those that may not have access to Matt Taibbi & Walter Kern on America This Week. This is an excellent take on the TikTok story.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/america-this-week/id1640531112
God bless Rand Paul. Tulsi and Thomas Massie, beacons of light on a dark horizon. Banning Tik Tok is wrong on so many levels.