Two recent developments in the social media world disturb us. First, TikTok is suspected of gathering data that could conceivably be used against the US. This China-based company has 150 million users in the US and the fear (now being investigated by Congress) is that the accumulated information on our habits, beliefs, priorities and other tidbits could somehow be weaponized (to use a currently overused term). The CEO of TikTok appeared before a Congressional Committee this week and tried–unsuccessfully by some reports–to defend his platform. The problem is that we do not trust social media in the hands of foreign governments to act ethically. There is no question that 150 million users provide a huge trove of information. The question is: how might that information be used against the best interests of the United States? Unfortunately, the popularity of TikTok among especially the young voter population makes it impossible for either political party to act alone in banning it. The loss of millions of votes is a non-starter. So both the GOP and the Dems will need to unite regardless of what action–if any–is taken. The second unfortunate development this week is the re-instatement of the Trump account to YouTube. How a social media platform can justify giving a national bully pulpit to an individual who has six criminal charges pending against him–including sedition–is beyond us. The open debate that he incited the January 6th riot and continues to address the more violent members of our society should be justification enough NOT to hand him a megaphone. What were they thinking? Both of these situations confirm what we at “another’s view” have been saying for years. The pen is mightier than the sword; and social media arms every human being with a world-wide communications weapon. If we cannot control the use of that weapon it must be dismantled. Even an atomic bomb destroys only the large area where it is detonated. But social media can corrupt the minds of millions all over the world with very little effort. It must be stopped.
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