Thread by @5149jamesli

They tell us that TikTok is a “national security threat” and its algorithm is "brainwashing America". But where’s the proof?

A close examination of the evidence exposes some VERY familiar — and VERY suspicious — players.

Spoiler: it’s not really about China.
⬇️ Mega 🧵1/

2/ Context

TikTok — facing an impending ban on Jan. 19 — is fighting for its life right now in the Supreme Court.

Congress asserted the app's "Chinese-controlled algorithm" is pushing dangerous ideas on Americans and that the app is a "major national security threat."

3/ Let's talk about the evidence that the Department of Justice has provided.

Oh wait, we can't...because ALL the evidence has been redacted!

4/ The government has also asserted: TikTok is "indoctrination at scale".

They cite a supposed "peer-reviewed" study that claims TikTok is actively manipulating perceptions of China and the Chinese Communist Party through algorithmic bias.

Let's examine that study. 🧐

5/ The study, commissioned by NCRI - Network Contagion Research Institute (much more about them later), concludes that their results strongly suggest an "algorithmic amplification of pro-CCP content on TikTok."

6/ The only problem — the study never analyzed the FYP (For You Page) aka "the algorithm" — which is how all users interact with the app, nor did they analyze view count.

All they did was categorize an arbitrary count of pro or anti-CCP videos that they found through searches.

7/ So riddle me this. Why wouldn't the study:

a) factor in how users would actually interact with the app, and

b) analyze how many views the videos were getting?

Could it be because the conclusion was predetermined by the NCRI — and paid for by the interests that fund them?

8/ The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) claims to be "a neutral and independent third party whose mission it is to track, expose, and combat misinformation, deception, manipulation, and hate across social media channels."

But let's see who runs the organization. 🧐

9/ Joel Finkelstein - Director and Cofounder

He is a former research fellow for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Zionist group that has taken a strong position on banning TikTok due to the proliferation of anti-Israel and pro-Palestine videos on the app.

10/ Alex Goldenberg - Lead Intelligence Analyst

He is a former fellow at AIPAC engaging into "intelligence analyis."

11/ Peter Norvig - Strategic Advisor

He is also the Director of Research at Google — and without a doubt, big tech stands to benefit financially if their competition is to be banned.

12/ Jacob Shapiro - Chief Scientific Advisor

He is one of the many advisors on NCRI's leadership team who is a veteran of the US military and intelligence apparatus.

13/ Denver Riggleman - Chief Strategist, The Center for Disinformation Defense, NCRI

He is a former US Air Force Intelligence Officer and analyst for the NSA.

14/ Paul Goldenberg - Strategic Advisor

He is on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council.

15/ The effort to ban TikTok represents a convergence of academia, Big Tech, the US military, national security agencies, and private groups like AIPAC and the ADL —all with financial and political motives for banning TikTok.

The dots are there. You just need to connect them.