I think the most likely outcome is that people leave TikTok as it gets enshitified in the US, which does still raise the contradictions as USAmericans will look outside their country and see what their government took away from them. It’ll go the way to Twitter and become a hellhole of reaction, people will leave for alternatives, and its relevance will plumet.
I still think a ban would have been better, but you’re right that it wouldn’t be without risks. This might buy time.
But they’re going to come for Rednote, and they’ll come for the fediverse too, and even liberal institutions like Wikipedia. They’re idealists and don’t believe political opposition comes from material forces; they are certain if they can just control all the cultural levers that they can turn back the tide that’s flowing against them.
I think the most likely outcome is that people leave TikTok as it gets enshitified in the US, which does still raise the contradictions as USAmericans will look outside their country and see what their government took away from them. It’ll go the way to Twitter and become a hellhole of reaction, people will leave for alternatives, and its relevance will plumet.
I still think a ban would have been better, but you’re right that it wouldn’t be without risks. This might buy time.
But they’re going to come for Rednote, and they’ll come for the fediverse too, and even liberal institutions like Wikipedia. They’re idealists and don’t believe political opposition comes from material forces; they are certain if they can just control all the cultural levers that they can turn back the tide that’s flowing against them.