No, you are muddling the issues. This is about speech and not about
anything trade-related. Banning TikTok is not equivalent to putting
import tariffs on cheap Chinese electronic bikes or solar panels. It's
not about whatever profits ByteDance makes from TikTok.
It's 100% about controlling the narrative. "Young Americans are
turning against Israel — and you can thank TikTok"
https://forward.com/opinion/574346/freepalestine-tiktok-isra...
Can't have that happening in the US. The right to brainwash kids is a
right reserved to the American billionaire class, their purchased
politicians and lobbyists. You can talk about "geopolitical risks",
"security issues", and "reciprocity" all you want but it doesn't hide
this fact.
(1) trade protectionism that is about protecting the right to profit off of manipulation of American youth to favored actors, rather than disfavored foreign actors (whether disfavored because their country doesn’t allow American firms the same power in their countries, or for other reasons) or
(2) totally not trade related, but speech related, and about reserving the right to manipulate American youth to the exact same favored actors discussed in #1.
It's 100% about controlling the narrative. "Young Americans are turning against Israel — and you can thank TikTok" https://forward.com/opinion/574346/freepalestine-tiktok-isra... Can't have that happening in the US. The right to brainwash kids is a right reserved to the American billionaire class, their purchased politicians and lobbyists. You can talk about "geopolitical risks", "security issues", and "reciprocity" all you want but it doesn't hide this fact.