The Chinese-owned social media platform, TikTok, is raising eyebrows yet again. It arrogantly disregards a bill signed by President Biden, thumbing its nose at American law in the process. Are they above our laws? Not according to the “not amused” FCC Commissioner, Brendan Carr.
Last month, a bill was signed by President Biden that ushered the Chinese-controlled ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to detach from TikTok or face being blacklisted from the U.S. market. But TikTok shot a feisty legal rebuke on Tuesday, saying that divestiture was “impossible” and “infeasible”. Carr refuted this with a succinct, “It’s about TikTok’s inappropriate behavior – no protection under the Constitution.”
TikTok’s laughable claims didn’t escape Carr’s attention. In his remarks, Carr clarified TikTok’s stranglehold on user data. “Beijing does call the shots, despite the claim of an independent TikTok U.S,” Carr stated, highlighting the disingenuous narrative flaunted by TikTok.
In its court filing, TikTok spilled its real concerns about parting ways with its Chinese control, citing the country’s regulation of exported tech. They won’t even let the superior TikTok algorithm, which has defined its success, be divested. TikTok quickly backtracked on its previous claim that U.S. engineers could easily inspect its code, stating it’s too “complex” to be transferred to a new owner.
Carr spared no effort in calling out the social media giant’s hubris. “TikTok asserts that U.S. data doesn’t exist in China, while their own internal messages display, ‘everything is seen in China,” he pointed out. The arrogance he mentions lies in claiming that TikTok U.S. operates independently despite evidence suggesting Beijing calls the shots.
Interwoven inconsistencies in TikTok’s declarations reveal a consistent pattern of duplicity characterized by Carr as “arrogance.” He concluded by noting TikTok’s audacity in considering itself an exception to national security threats, stating “our Constitution certainly compels no such outcome.”
Carr’s fierce scrutiny of TikTok’s controversial conduct underlines a serious question – Is it acceptable for a platform to undermine U.S. national security blatantly? Not on Carr’s watch, it seems.
It’s time to stand up to this brazen disregard for America’s safety. Demand accountability from Big Tech and transparency. Don’t let them blur the truths in a smog of ‘hate speech.’ Let’s level the playing field for conservatives who have felt the firm hand of censorship. Together, we can hold Big Tech’s feet to the fire.
