TikTok specifically has ties to the Chinese state apparatus that are concerning, similarly to Huawei. This isn't a blanket statement about Chinese companies in general - just those companies in particular. Specifically, this means these companies' products are likely to be tools of PRC state intelligence and the PRC's foreign-policy directives. The same cannot be said about other Chinese companies and similarly positioned companies in other countries.
This wouldn't be as big an issue if the PRC was a NATO ally, or least had a reputation for government transparency and accountability - and wasn't asserting ridiculous territorial claims - and didn't have an egregious human-rights record - and wasn't actively suppressing freedom-of-expression - and so on. Take away a couple of these issues and TikTok's suspicious business conduct over the past few years would be about the same level as scummy American Freemium game makers. I stress that (and despite appearances) I'm trying not to make a Sinophobic argument.
At the same time, I recognize that companies in China need to integrate themselves with the CCP/PLA/etc in order to succeed in that market.
"The same cannot be said about other Chinese companies and similarly positioned companies in other countries.
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What are other companies? Those that doesn't pose a threat? like those ones only produce cheap toys and clothes?.
I think as long as Chinese government remain as independent and "different", anything comes out of there that really challenges current status quo would receive similar criticism like yours, regardless what or how those company behaves. Curious how do you recognize those companies "need to integrate themselves with the CCP/PLA/etc"?
TikTok has been caught slurping data on a level that’s an order of magnitude worse than Facebook, etc. Add its close ties to the enormously corrupt and evil CCP, and I find it easy to see why Westerners are unnerved by the app. Perhaps Tiktok could open-source its tracking library as a token of good faith.
This wouldn't be as big an issue if the PRC was a NATO ally, or least had a reputation for government transparency and accountability - and wasn't asserting ridiculous territorial claims - and didn't have an egregious human-rights record - and wasn't actively suppressing freedom-of-expression - and so on. Take away a couple of these issues and TikTok's suspicious business conduct over the past few years would be about the same level as scummy American Freemium game makers. I stress that (and despite appearances) I'm trying not to make a Sinophobic argument.
At the same time, I recognize that companies in China need to integrate themselves with the CCP/PLA/etc in order to succeed in that market.