Part 13/16:
Steve Yates from the Heritage Foundation joins to analyze the deal, emphasizing that the political and strategic concerns surrounding TikTok are rooted in its architecture, ownership, and potential for influencing public opinion and behavior. He criticizes the idea that a simple ownership transfer can mitigate risks, noting that China's version of TikTok operates under different rules and is siloed from the Chinese version accessed domestically.
Yates highlights recent instances, such as social media manipulations following chaos in Israel after October 7, suggesting foreign actors or even domestic agitators may leverage these platforms to organize protests or spread disinformation.