Oligarchy

[UncleMark]

what threat do any of them pose to you? do you have child porn on your computer? absent that what should anyone worry about? i know you're a computer guy so can you explain in reader's digest version what any of this stuff means to the dumb people like myself that don't understand any of it? i just assumed it's to sell our tendencies for marketing purposes or fear of getting my identity stolen/credit card info. i guess more simply why do i care if fb, instagram, or any of them have my info?

Let's say I have anarchist political leanings. Who is going to be more interested in that, Trump's DoJ, or Putin or Xi?

That's what I'm trying to get across. Americans personally have more to worry about from the US government than from foreign governments. Collectively, the nation does have to concern itself with the malevolent actions of foreign actors.

As a freedom loving individual, the US government -- and US entities that are happy to provide the Feds with the rope to hang me -- poses the greatest threat to me, personally. I have no defense from them. However, as an American, I do understand the need for the government to defend against foreign actions. That is the crux of the questions surrounding civil liberties vs. national security. I'm more concerned with civil liberties. YMMV.

 

[UncleMark]

Any reason you won’t just answer the questions, we’ll except the last one which apparently would force you to incriminate yourself?

I haven't figured out WTF you're getting at.

 

[hoot1]

China has long barred the US (and possibly EU and others) from owning majority stakes in Chinese-domiciled entities. If you are going to play the EU card, that would be the equivalent of the US forcing BMW, Mercedes, etc to sell off US stakes.

Somewhere in all this we should recognize the trade deficits we have had with China over the past decades.

Chinese investors have used their deficit gains in collusion with their government to buy business assets in the U.S.

We like to reference "communism", but fail to mention as "capitalist competitors" in the global economy China is a strong player. This contrasts with the old Soviet Union communism which was a complete failure in the global marketplace.

 

[jet812]

I haven't figured out WTF you're getting at.

Sounds about right...

 

[twenty02]

I wouldn't force a transaction, I would just ban the app on national security grounds, if legitimate grounds existed.

Considering that China allows none of the US tech/ social media companies (Twitter, Google, FB/Instagram) to operate there makes this a pretty cut and dry situation, in my view. Ban it outright unless it's sold in full to a US operator.

 

[twenty02]

Would you rather the Russians knowing every intimate detail of your life and possessing nude photographs of you or the Americans?

I don't think any govt is going to be interested in nudes of Mark.

 

[The Vid]

what threat do any of them pose to you? do you have child porn on your computer? absent that what should anyone worry about? i know you're a computer guy so can you explain in reader's digest version what any of this stuff means to the dumb people like myself that don't understand any of it? i just assumed it's to sell our tendencies for marketing purposes or fear of getting my identity stolen/credit card info. i guess more simply why do i care if fb, instagram, or any of them have my info?

You should care that they have the data of millions of dumbasses that you probably hate and how this data will be used to influence the society you have to live in.

Data is the most valuable commodity on the planet, meanwhile most have no idea what that means. Sounds like you’ll be happy as a battery for the matrix.