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The US is relentlessly pushing to ban TikTok permanently as concern that it poses a national security threat heightens.
On Tuesday, Sen. Marco Rubio, introduced a bipartisan legislation that would ban the short-video app from operating within the United States, after executive attempts to ban TikTok by former president Donald Trump failed.
The bill, “the Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party, or ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act,” is the first legislative move by the US Congress to stop TikTok – although individual lawmakers have been pushing for the app’s ban.
The Rubio bill already has bipartisan support in the House, with Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., authoring companion legislation.
“The federal government has yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok,” Rubio said in a statement. “This isn’t about creative videos—this is about an app that is collecting data on tens of millions of American children and adults every day. We know it’s used to manipulate feeds and influence elections. We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good.”
In 2020, Trump went all out against TikTok in a frenzy of attacks aimed at halting the company’s operation in the US. Though TikTok got a reprieve from court to stay in business – and the subsequent decision of President Joe Biden to rescind some of Trump’s executive orders targeting Chinese tech companies operating in the US reduced its plights, the company remains under the radar.
TikTok’s problem stems from its ownership by Chinese parent company ByteDance. Washington is concerned that Beijing could have access to the data of its American users. Recently, US authorities intensified warning that TikTok is subject to the authority of the Chinese Communist Party, which means that they could demand and use private data from TikTok for intelligence operations.
Early this month, FBI director Chris Wray said the CCP’s authority over all Chinese companies “allows them to manipulate content, and if they want to, to use it for influence operations.”
His warning has been resounded by several lawmakers, including Rubio and Krishnamoorthi.
“At a time when the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries abroad are seeking any advantage they can find against the United States through espionage and mass surveillance, it is imperative that we do not allow hostile powers to potentially control social media networks that could be easily weaponized against us,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement..
Besides banning government officials from using TikTok, some US states are prohibiting state agencies and employees from using the platform.
TikTok has recorded unprecedented growth, surpassing Facebook and Google to become the most popular website in the world this year. But as the platform grows in popularity, concern over its ability to manage private data of users grows too – mainly due to its connection to China.
TikTok has always maintained that its operation has no ties with Beijing, allaying the concern that it could serve as a conduit to the CCP.
TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas, in Sept. 14 testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the Chinese government exercises influence over TikTok “in no way, shape or form.”
However, the US authorities are far from believing anything the company is saying.
“TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data and censoring their news,” Gallagher said. “Allowing the app to continue to operate in the U.S. would be like allowing the U.S.S.R. to buy up the New York Times, Washington Post and major broadcast networks during the Cold War. No country with even a passing interest in its own security would allow this to happen, which is why it’s time to ban TikTok and any other CCP-controlled app before it’s too late.”
TikTok has made many changes to clear the concerns; including partnering with American companies to store users’ data – moving its data centers away from China. The company is currently in negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States over such national security concerns.
However, this bill is a new threat to TikTok’s existence in the United States, and if it passes, the company will see its growth significantly decline.
American Automotive electric car company Tesla has received a five-star rating for its Model Y vehicle in a European safety test that ranks the autopilot system.
The 2022 Tesla model Y gives users a great feel of strong acceleration, excellent handling, quick recharging, and a lengthy driving range which saw it earn a 98% score in the safety assist category that evaluates safety technologies.
The test concluded that Tesla’s Model Y automatic emergency braking system performed well in its response to pedestrians.
The tests include scenarios like a child running from behind parked vehicles and a pedestrian crossing a road into which a car is turning which saw it earn a score of 7.7 out of 9 points on emergency braking near pedestrians.
The high score received by the model Y indicates that the vehicle has excellent performance in crash protection and robust crash avoidance tech.
It also received the highest marks of any tested vehicle in two of four test categories, and the second highest score in a third category vulnerable road users, which focuses on pedestrian and cyclist interactions.
Tesla’s 2022 Model Y two trims come with two powertrain options. The Long Range is set with a front and rear motor producing 384 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. The Performance trim gets a more powerful rear motor for a combined 456 horsepower with 497 lb-ft of torque. Each 2022 Model Y comes with a single-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Its interior is vast and spacious with few buttons or gadgets, just the signature Tesla center screen that controls everything from Google-based navigation to Bluetooth connectivity.
The model Y which was unveiled in March 2019, was once an affordable option of the Tesla brand, however, its new higher price hasn’t slowed down its sales as it is speculated to be the world’s best-selling electric vehicle of 2022.
Apart from the model Y’s remarkable features, Tesla models come with excellent Autopilot tech that includes a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, including automated emergency braking with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and the famous semi-autonomous driving mode.
In 2016, Musk predicted that the demand for Model Y would surpass the demand for Model 3s, while some doubted him, reports disclose that the Model Y’s sales have surpassed that of the Model 3.
With the recent high rating of the Model Y, it has no doubt boosted Tesla’s domination as the reigning monarch of the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Young People, believe me, making As in school helps. But As are not the destinations. The real ultimate barometer for success is the processes you used to get the As. To make As, you must have had an A-lifestyle on managing your time and other things. Those are great signs that you can get things done since everyone desires to make an A. Yes, right there, you were able to get that A you had aimed at.
How do you manage the small budget you have in school? Before the mobile phone era and fintech age, running out of money was basically leaving school to go back home to reload. What is the opportunity cost?
Do not diminish the process to an excellent grade. A is a letter but the process is a career-in-making. Statistically, if you follow the same principle you used to make A when you start work, you will likely succeed over someone who made Bs because his processes were sub-par. But note, someone can have a great process but end up with C. Magically, that C student will thrive in life; he failed the medical board exam but went on to build a great grocery chain business!
In summary, we can find success in life irrespective of whatever letter grades we have, provided we use the best processes for those grades. The processes are universal while letter grades are not, and that is why as you develop, keep deepening your processes because those define success more.
A student with talent to make A but ends up with C may struggle in life (unless he changes attitude) than one whose talent is best for E but ends up with D with superior processes and determination. Go for the A+ in your processes because processes are graded universally while letter grades are largely localized; your A+ with Mr Ben may be B with Ms Ken.
I wish you all A+ grade in your process; if you do it, this world will reward you. That student who attacked Calculus with absolute determination, perseverance and hardwork, but ended up with C will likely score A in something in life which may not be related with Calculus using those principles. Check, he may open a business and build it up because he scores A+ in the subjects of life success.
Comment: Subject matter is well presented and delivered however, it is noteworthy that the difference between school and life is that processes in school is regimented and pre envisaged by curriculum developments while in life it is largely undefined, uncharted and collectively personal (collective due to communities, professionals and political). Thank you for your efforts in sharing practical knowledge Sir.
My Response: You are correct but the fundamental unit of any process at work, life and school is the same, just like a cell is the unit of life even though it gives tissues, organs and systems. There are deadlines at work. There are deadlines in school. If you break school and life to the basic unit, there is a convergence. Go back to your university days, look at those students who slept when everyone was going to class. Check where they are today. If you do not believe in time in school and you take that attitude to “life”, it will give the same result.
But check those students in your class. They were not academically talented but they worked really harder than everyone. It is possible they employ many people today because that hardwork has been transferred to something even if the school path was challenging.
Those days in the bank, we used to give applicants 150 questions to answer in 25 minutes knowing NO HUMAN would complete it. During the grading, if you fail 2 consecutive questions, we stop there. What was being tested? Ability to be correct under severe pressure, not even if you can do those maths because they were REALLY EASY. But under that pressure, do you have the process to count N40 million naira and balance the ledger in hours and still be alert not to sign the bank away. That was the skill required for that bank job: speed and accuracy.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the embattled co-founder and former CEO of collapsed crypto exchange, FTX, has been charged by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for fraud.
The SEC filed the charges on Tuesday following the arrest of Bankman-Fried in Bahamas where he was expected to appear before a magistrate court. The charges said Bankman-Fried defrauded regulators in “a house of cards” style, raising more than $1.8 billion from equity investors since May 2019 by promoting FTX as a safe, responsible platform for trading crypto assets.
In addition, the civil complaint says that Bankman-Fried diverted customer funds to Alameda Research LLC, his privately-held crypto fund, without telling them. The complaint also says Bankman-Fried commingled FTX customers’ funds at Alameda to make undisclosed venture investments, lavish real estate purchases, and large political donations.
“We allege that Sam Bankman-Fried built a house of cards on a foundation of deception while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a statement.
Bankman-Fried has been under investigation by the US authorities following the collapse of FTX last month. The multibillion dollar exchange filed for bankruptcy on November 11 after it failed to raise a bailout fund as traders rushed to withdraw $6 billion fund in 72 hours.
The former CEO has blamed the company’s implosion on ignorance and oversight, maintaining that he committed no fraud even as more information emerged – pointing to potential fraudulent transactions.
The SEC said separate charges would be announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District for New York and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission later on Tuesday.
In a statement, the SEC said it would seek a director and officer bar and a penalty against Bankman-Fried, and to prevent Bankman-Fried from participating in future securities purchases, offers and sales except for his personal account and a civil penalty, among other actions.
Police in the Bahamas, where FTX was based, said the 30-year-old was arrested after 6 p.m. on Monday (2300 GMT) at his luxury gated community called the Albany in the capital, Nassau.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement on Monday evening that the arrest came at the request of the U.S. government, a day he’s expected to testify before Congress.
Though he claimed not to have enough information on what really led to FTX’s collapse, Bankman-Fried had agreed to testify before the House Financial Services Committee at the request of the chairwoman Rep. Maxine Waters.
The Committee is expected to proceed with the hearing despite his arrest. But Rep. Waters said she was “disappointed” that the American public, and FTX’s customers, would not get to see Bankman-Fried testify under oath.
The Bahamas’ attorney general’s office said it expects him to be extradited to the United States.
FTX’s implosion has once ignited calls for the regulation of the crypto industry. Gensler said “the alleged fraud committed by Mr. Bankman-Fried is a clarion call to crypto platforms that they need to come into compliance with our laws.”