TikTok's parent company turns-down Microsoft's purchase offer - Announces it's "partnering" with Oracle for its US operation

[Delicieuxz]

On 9/13/2020 at 7:42 PM, valdyrgramr said:

Which you can turn off before you even install the OS.   It's literally an option.   Just because you failed to read what you're argeeing to doesn't turn it into spying.   You're literally showing paranoia due to your ignornance.

Actually, you can't turn-off Microsoft's spying on you at any time. Not before you install the OS, and not after - not with any customization settings built into the OS, anyway. Without you agreeing to it, Microsoft is siphoning data from you from over 3,100 data-points at the very most minimal (for Home and Pro editions) data-harvesting setting in Windows 10.

 

That's why the Windows 10 Ameliorated project exists.

 

Although, Microsoft's spying can be mitigated by using Enterprise or LTSC (which are the only two versions of Windows 10 I'd recommend anybody use) and using the Group Policy editor to lower the amount of theft of your personal data that Microsoft engages in. Using O&O ShutUp10 and blocking a lot of Microsoft servers in your router are also recommended actions to reduce Microsoft's spying.

 

Microsoft is spying on every step you take in Windows, and every click you make is being recorded and sent to Microsoft - without you agreeing to it and in defiance of you saying you want it to stop.

 

 

Also, Microsoft was a very eager volunteer for the PRISM surveillance program and freely gave the US government their users' data without disclosing to anybody they they were doing do: Microsoft openly offered cloud data to support NSA PRISM programme

 

The US government's mass-spying activities didn't end with the end with PRISM and continue. And Microsoft, which, like Amazon, loves their contracts with the US government, is absolutely still delivering your personal data to the US government so that it can spy on you.

 

 

Being concerned about a Chinese company being aware of what TikTok videos a person watches when their complete behaviour is recorded by Microsoft and the US government is getting worked-up over the wrong thing, IMO. If you have Microsoft's Windows 10 installed, then you have the biggest source of unauthorized government spying running as the primary layer of your system software.

[StDragon]

Friends don't let friends use TikTok. 

[BlazerBuddy]

15 minutes ago, Delicieuxz said:

Actually, you can't turn-off Microsoft's spying on you at any time. Not before you install the OS, and not after - not with any customization settings build into the OS, anyway. Without you agreeing to it, Microsoft is siphoning data from you from over 3,100 points at the very most minimal (for Home and Pro editions) data-harvesting setting in Windows 10.

 

That's why the Windows 10 Ameliorated project exists.

 

Although, Microsoft's spying can be mitigated by using Enterprise or LTSC (which are the only two versions of Windows 10 I'd recommend anybody use) and using the Group Policy editor to lower the amount of theft of your personal data that Microsoft engages in. Using O&O ShutUp10 and blocking a lot of Microsoft servers in your router are also recommended.

 

Microsoft is spying on every step you take in Windows, and every click you make is being recorded and sent to Microsoft - without you agreeing to it and in defiance of you saying you want it to stop.

 

Also, Microsoft was a very eager volunteer for the PRISM surveillance program and freely gave the US government their users' data:

Microsoft openly offered cloud data to support NSA PRISM programme

 

The US government's mass-spying activities didn't end with the end with PRISM and continue. And Microsoft, which, like Amazon, loves their contracts with the US government, is absolutely still delivering your personal data to the US government so that it can spy on you.

 

 

 

Being concerned about a Chinese company being aware of what TikTok videos a person watches when their complete behaviour is recorded by Microsoft and the US government is getting worked-up over the wrong thing, IMO. If you have Microsoft's Windows 10 installed, then you have the biggest source of unauthorized government spying running as the primary layer of your system software.

Have you guys not read my posts on the first page?? I know Microsoft spies on me I run Windows 10, but I would rather have Microsoft spy on me then China spying on me.

[Spotty]

Stick to the discussion regarding the TikTok app, its purchase and what it means for the app itself and any technology related impact this will have. Please do not shift discussion to which countries are spying on who or why, or any other such broader discussion independent of TikTok. While we all understand why the sale of TikTok happened, it is a topic that has become heavily politicised and this is first and foremost a forum for discussing technology, not politics.

[Mark Kaine]

12 hours ago, WereCatf said:

"Only the things I like need to be allowed, delete all the things I don't like."

Welcome to the internet!

 

 

[Vector0102]

Ok, so why cant ByteDance just switch the HQ and Tiktok's operations to another country? Whats stopping them from taking this step, but rather selling Tiktok entirely?

[Delicieuxz]

2 hours ago, Vector0102 said:

Ok, so why cant ByteDance just switch the HQ and Tiktok's operations to another country? Whats stopping them from taking this step, but rather selling Tiktok entirely?

TikTok's US operation is already run from within the US and by people in the US, and it stores US user data in the US and Singapore instead of China.

 

But I don't know what their options are to avoid the effects of the executive order. I think that, at first, Trump said that he would kick the company out of the US even if it was sold to another company. But he changed his mind with a bit of convincing from US tech companies.

 

The latest news is that ByteDance isn't selling the company but is restructuring its US operations in partnership with Oracle to satisfy the US executive order.

 

US government to review deal between TikTok and Oracle

Quote

The Washington Post reported that Oracle had been chosen by ByteDance as a “technology partner” to allay US concerns, and Reuters quoted a source saying it would be a restructuring rather than a sale, with Oracle handling TikTok’s US user data. The source did not disclose how much of TikTok’s US operations ByteDance and its investors would continue to own.

 

TikTok Sale: ByteDance Partners With Oracle

Quote

According to the source, Oracle is being brought on board as a tech partner and not as an outright buyer of TikTok's U.S. business. It's unclear whether Oracle will acquire a share in TikTok as a result of the partnership.

 

Representatives for TikTok and ByteDance declined to comment. A spokesperson for Oracle did not respond to a request for comment.

 

[bcredeur97]

14 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

You can dig into the app, if you do you'll see TikTok is collecting data that benefits development of the app and its machine learning AI to serve you videos. It's not gathering anything about you any differently than Reddit, FaceBook, or any other service. The accusations about Chinese data harvesting are largely unfounded with nothing to actually back it up. 

 

It's just a media crusade against TikTok bc it posses a threat to the establishment. 

I do think part of the issue is the chinese gov is known to purposefully spy on their own people against their wishes coupled with the fact that we so deeply do not want that here. 

The fact that the chinese gov can do whatever they want with tiktok at any time to use it against us, does make it a national sec risk to some extent.

 

Especially since tensions have been rising between both nations lately.

[GoodBytes]

What is funny, in my opinion, is that I don't think Oracle wanted to buy TikTock. They just went in to increase purchase price for Microsoft, their competitor.

I don't see how Oracle will benefit from this purchase... beside converting the app and webservice as a giant Java application that takes 6h to load.

 

[GoodBytes]

4 hours ago, Vector0102 said:

Ok, so why cant ByteDance just switch the HQ and Tiktok's operations to another country? Whats stopping them from taking this step, but rather selling Tiktok entirely?

All Chinese companies are owned by the Chinese government in part. And the government requires the keys to all their systems and provide any information that the Chinese government want without question in a prompt matter. So TikTok can have a US operation and US located servers... but in the end... China has the admin password to all.

[DrMacintosh]

3 hours ago, StDragon said:

Friends don't let friends use TikTok. 

All my friends love TikTok. 

[leadeater]

Wow and I really was doubting Orcale wanted anything at all to do with TikTok, very surprised.

[StDragon]

37 minutes ago, leadeater said:

Wow and I really was doubting Orcale wanted anything at all to do with TikTok, very surprised.

Had you consulted with an Oracle you wouldn't have been so surprised.

[StDragon]

1 hour ago, DrMacintosh said:

All my friends love TikTok. 

Men Without Hats - Safety Dance 

[DrMacintosh]

10 minutes ago, StDragon said:

Men Without Hats - Safety Dance 

I don't know how that relates, but that's still a banger song. 

 

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, valdyrgramr said:

 Fun fact, this song is actually about not being allowed to mosh, sorta.

Everyone knows this, you're de-railing again. 

[GoodBytes]

13 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

So, basically a market troll tactic because they compete in the server and cloud storage markets?

Pretty much. I mean Oracle has nothing consumer related. Their stuff target pretty much large enterprises. Unless they want to do "TikTok for the office" as a solution for companies to buy and force onto its employees. 

[Delicieuxz]

1 hour ago, valdyrgramr said:

Potentially they might just not like TikTok and plan to shut them down.   I am curious as to what Oracle of all companies will do with them.   It's a good way for their server people to show off their racks and not get in trouble.

According to the reports, Oracle aren't buying TikTok, they're just handling its US operation. But it sounds like ByteDance will still remain its owner. If Oracle won't own the US part of the business, then I'd guess they couldn't shut it down.

 

US government to review deal between TikTok and Oracle

Quote

The Washington Post reported that Oracle had been chosen by ByteDance as a “technology partner” to allay US concerns, and Reuters quoted a source saying it would be a restructuring rather than a sale, with Oracle handling TikTok’s US user data. The source did not disclose how much of TikTok’s US operations ByteDance and its investors would continue to own.

 

Oracle Wins Bid for TikTok’s U.S. Operation

Quote

According to the source, Oracle is being brought on board as a tech partner and not as an outright buyer of TikTok's U.S. business. It's unclear whether Oracle will acquire a share in TikTok as a result of the partnership.

 

Representatives for TikTok and ByteDance declined to comment. A spokesperson for Oracle did not respond to a request for comment.

 

[Kisai]

On 9/13/2020 at 5:11 PM, BlazerBuddy said:

Why don’t we just delete Tik Tok for good?? Who cares about it. The people who do care about are bad for the world and basically mindless zombies now. I don’t want China spying on me that is why I don’t have it.

Youtube thinks it's a good idea to make their own TikTok, somehow not realizing that that's what their service was originally.

 

I've never used Tik Tok, and the people I follow on Twitter don't seem to use it unless they are younger than 25. It's almost like Youtube became BoomerTube and TikTok became the new Youtube with young adults. Also remember that Twitter ALSO had a micro video blogging service at one point (Vine), though you can actually upload 2 minute video clips directly to twitter now. 

 

Anyhow, I really really don't see what Oracle stands to gain from it. Microsoft I could see at least trying yet-another attempt at pulling "how are you doing fellow kids" with it (after giving up on mixer), followed by giving up on it too. Oracle however just seems to strip-mine things for IP and then lets the tech rot. 

[Hawx]

This shouldn't really surprise anyone. Microsoft wanted access to the recommendation engine, and would've made sweeping changes to the platform so it aligns with its internal security & privacy standards (which are extremely high, regardless of what you think of Microsoft).

 

Oracle will be almost completely hands-off and just let the app sit there as some kind of weird advertisement for its archaic cloud platform. Maybe you'll see a "Installed on x billion devices" line when you first open it.

[Guest willies leg]

I still find it amazing how much these companies are worth, giving out free applications and free service.

 

Must be our personal information and biometrics are worth a bunch?

[spartaman64]

23 hours ago, Vector0102 said:

Ok, so why cant ByteDance just switch the HQ and Tiktok's operations to another country? Whats stopping them from taking this step, but rather selling Tiktok entirely?

their biggest market and what makes them the most money is still china and it makes no sense for them to give up a bigger market to keep a smaller market

[Kisai]

5 hours ago, willies leg said:

I still find it amazing how much these companies are worth, giving out free applications and free service.

 

Must be our personal information and biometrics are worth a bunch?

Deep Learning. How do you think Google, Facebook and Microsoft have been training AI algorithms.

[Vector0102]

5 hours ago, spartaman64 said:

their biggest market and what makes them the most money is still china and it makes no sense for them to give up a bigger market to keep a smaller market

I said just TikTok's operations, their Chinese version is an entirely different app. Moreover, the US has the highest number of TikTok users iirc.

[spartaman64]

3 minutes ago, Vector0102 said:

I said just TikTok's operations, their Chinese version is an entirely different app. Moreover, the US has the highest number of TikTok users iirc.

well tiktok is already being operated from an US office i thought you wanted bytedance to move to the US also