Social media regulation in the US is defined by petty grudges and thoroughly lacking in ambition.
I generally disagree with Donald Trump but he does occasionally make good points. One such occasion is when he came out in opposition of a bill set to ban TikTok in America if it does not have a change in ownership so that the social media is no longer owned by a Chinese firm. Trump’s reason for opposing the bill was that it risked giving more power to Mark Zuckerberg, the owner of Meta. Squabbling over which powerful and opaque entity gets to control social media platforms and the data they generate is missing the forest for the trees.
As I’ve argued before on the blog, the problem with TikTok is and has always been rooted in corporate governance rather than a threat of malicious Chinese spies. It’s a sign of the times that American lawmakers are so concerned with CCP spooks on TikTok when the average video on the platform is so completely devoid of newsworthiness; people post dances and skits, not blueprints of ICBMs or classified documents. TikTok has agenda-setting power and can influence discussions about politics and culture through its content moderation choices, but that threat is not confined to TikTok. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are just as big a threat as TikTok’s Chinese owners.
Therefore, legislation specifically targeting TikTok while allowing Meta and the others to continue operating as they have looks like rank Sinophobia to be. I wholeheartedly support social media reform to make it less harmful and more beneficial to society at the expense of its shareholders. That being said, such reform would need to be broad and far reaching as well as mindful of the technical aspect and societal impact of social media, and the American congress has never seemed interested in understanding the basics of the business, let alone the complexities.
As is so often the case with Trump, even when he makes sensible comments he makes them for the wrong reasons. Just like the rest of the Washington crowd he isn’t arguing for comprehensive reform, just arguing against a proposal for what seems like selfish reasons. I have no doubts that Trump is at least partly against Zuckerberg because Zuckerberg’s companies blocked Trump’s accounts and Trump holds a grudge. A different, but similarly short-sighted position built on a grudge; just like the more mainstream politicians’ aversion to TikTok’s Chinese owners.
When making big and wide-ranging decisions its best to make comprehensive and detailed plans, and the fact that American politicians have yet to acknowledge that there is a real problem besides who owns what does not inspire confidence in their ability to get it right. Limited planning can work if you’re cutting down one tree but not if you’re managing a forest.
If you liked this post you can read a previous post about American politics here or the rest of my writings here. It'd mean a lot to me if you recommended the blog to a friend or coworker. Come back next Monday for a new post!
I've always been interested in politics, economics, and the interplay between. The blog is a place for me to explore different ideas and concepts relating to economics or politics, be that national or international. The goal for the blog is to make you think; to provide new perspectives.
Written by Karl Johansson
Cover photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels, edited by Karl Johansson
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