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ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in US if legal options fail, sources say (www.reuters.com)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I'm curious about the practicality. IP addresses only roughly correlate to geographic location. Are they going to geofence their app?

Obviously the app can be removed from the US app stores, but I doubt they can prevent sideloading or just using a VPN to get access to a different country's app store. And what about all the devices that already have it installed? It's not like it will auto-delete.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It won't matter if there are ways to side load or circumvent, though. 99.9% of users will not be willing to be bothered with such things and the US market would effectively die for the app.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

I would have thought the same if there wasn't a counterexample right in front of me. We had some major social media blocked, and while there was a noticeable dropoff, they are nowhere near dead. Quite popular, in fact, including among children.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

As I understand, using VPNs to access will be illegal in principle, and the VPNs can be on the hook for stiff penalties.

In practice, it will depend on how zealously the government plays the cat and mouse game. Kind of the same situation as with China and VPNs that bypass the Great Firewall (ironic!).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

it's not like it will auto-delete.

You're probably right it won't, but it definitely could be done by Apple and Google.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I feel like reaching into individual people's phones and uninstalling software without their permission would be lawsuit bait.