Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit
Let's say it's the same situation as now. They made a super addictive app that doesn't have any overt nazism but it's fully under the control of the NSDAP, we don't know how the algorithm works, and they can bias it anytime they like. It's extremely popular and most young people use it. Would you say this is fine, yes or no?
> Would you say this is fine, yes or no?

I would say I would totally be fine if the nazis made an app for kids to publish their goofy dancing videos instead of this [1], yes, absolutely yes.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust

Even if they can tune the algorithm at a whim to include just a bit of antisemitism along with the goofy dancing videos?
> Even if they can tune the algorithm at a whim to include just a bit of antisemitism

You mean like all the US social networks banning or severely restricting the content on the slaughter being perpetrated in Palestina, mostly against innocent people and kids, while tik tok allowed it?

The answer is still yes, instead of the holocaust I will gladly take an app with just a bit of antisemitism, that, BTW, is not lacking on the platforms we all use and originated in the USA

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2023/07/14/antisemit...

Okay, so you're fine with the nazi party feeding your kids antisemitism through their funny dancing video app, that clears things up.
Instead of the holocaust, yes.

Now, that's not what's happening on tik tok, that's what's happening in your mind, as a thought experiment I would accept nazitok and tell my kids to not use it, instead of the holocaust and having no power to stop it in any meaningful way.

Wouldn't you?

Would you really reproduce the holocaust, just so you don't have to educate your children and explain them the right from the wrong?

that clears things up.

I don't understand where "instead of the holocaust" came from. I'm talking of a hypothetical modern-day Nazi Germany that's just as awful as the real one, and whether you would allow their funny dancing app. There's no either-or.
> I don't understand where "instead of the holocaust" came from

Since we are speculating, a modern day Germany has not perpetrated the holocaust, or it would not be allowed to exist in the European Union.

> Nazi Germany that's just as awful as the real one, and whether you would allow their funny dancing app. There's no either-or.

But what tik tok has to do with that?

If nazi Germany was still alive and kicking, it means we would all use their apps, because we would all speak German.

It would be what the USA are today.

We in fact use American apps or buy American devices even though they allow very bad content or are produced where labor protection laws are inexistent and worker are treated like slaves.

No one said anything about the European Union. Let's say our hypothetical modern Nazi Germany is in fact conducting the holocaust. Would you be okay with your kids using their funny dancing app?
Why is that such a big problem for you to understand that China is not the nazi germany and tik tok is not spreading dangerous ideas, it's simply less controlled by the US monopoly? (who are the nazi germany in this your little experiment)

But hey, you want an answer? of course I wouldn't be onboard with whoever is committing a genocide, just like I'm not on board with Israel and I boycott them and their products, as I am not onboard with the US foreign policy of the past 80 years (CIA was responsible for more than 90s changes of regime) and if it was for me US social networks would be banished in my Country.

I don't see many differences between the modern US and the nazi germany, besides the holocaust (which is not a small feat, I know, but hey, dangerous ideas are dangerous too)

> with whoever is committing a genocide...

Are you perhaps not aware of this issue? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/world/asia/china-genocide...

Or do you not consider it genocide?

loading story #42811579
Now you have to explain how 2024 China relates to the Nazis, though.

Nazism is an 100% western creation, had many supporters in the west and in the USA, and Hitler himself was inspired by the segregation laws in the United States for his reich.

I'm not comparing China to it, it's just an extreme example. If you are such a free speech absolutist that you think all foreign-controlled media should be allowed (and encouraged to do business in your country), does that include the nazis? And if not, where do you draw the line?
> If you are such a free speech absolutist that you think all foreign-controlled

You said all, I never said all, I just said instead of the holocaust I prefer tik tok.

You are the one that prefers the holocaust to tik tok and has to live with it.

> where do you draw the line?

I'll gladly answer: I draw the line where illegal or seriously dangerous stuff is happening.

For example I would have banned any social network that promoted the so called "challenges".

But the tik tok case has nothing to do with that, it has to do with the fact that if the US cannot control the narrative, they do not want Americans to use it.

Which is the exact same thing the nazi did, back then.

They did not trust their people to make the right choices.

I have no idea where the "either you allow nazi tiktok or it's the holocaust" false dichotomy came from.