“This was the entity that hacked into Equifax and literally collected information on close to 150 million Americans. In a world where the analogy is ‘data is the new oil,’ we should be concerned about all this data about American citizens ending up in the hands of the Communist Party of China.” – Sen Mark Warner (D-VA)
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This week’s Communiqué Isranet is: Communique: Le gouvernement iranien entend profiter des protestations pour faire diversion et foncer vers l’arme nucléaire
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SHABBAT READING
A Parasha Pregnant with the Past, Present and Future of Israel’s Protagonists: Prof. Zvi Ben-Dor Benite, The Torah.com, Dec. 8, 2016 — The Torah portion of Vayetzei (Gen 28:10–32:3) is packed—“pregnant” is perhaps a better word—with crucial elements of the Torah’s overarching narrative.
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GOVERNMENT WARNINGS
An F.C.C. Commissioner Pushes Apple and Google to Remove TikTok From Their App Stores.: David McCabe, NY Times, June 29, 2022 — A member of the Federal Communications Commission has asked Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores, citing concerns that the popular Chinese-owned video app could send American data back to Beijing.
FBI Says It Has “National Security Concerns’ About TikTok: Masood Farivar, VOA, Nov. 16, 2022 — FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Tuesday that the bureau has “national security concerns” about popular short-form video hosting app TikTok as the Chinese-owned company seeks U.S. government approval to continue operating in the country.
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Maybe Trump Was Right About TikTok: Sara Morrison, VOX, Nov. 14, 2022
TikTok Couldn’t Ensure Accurate Responses to Government Inquiries, A ByteDance Risk Assessment Said: Emily Baker-White, Forbes, Nov. 28, 2022
TikTok is China’s Trojan Horse: Adonis Hoffman, The Hill, Oct. 18, 2022
Israel’s Gen Z Loves Tiktok, But Does It Love Them Back?: Jonathan Frenkel, Israel 21C, Sept. 8, 2020
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TikTok Tells European Users Its Staff in China Get Access to Their Data: Dan Milmo, The Guardian, Nov. 2, 2022 — TikTok is spelling out to its European users that their data can be accessed by employees outside the continent, including in China, amid political and regulatory concerns about Chinese access to user information on the platform.
Senate Intel Chair on TikTok: ‘If I Had Young Kids, I Wouldn’t Want Them on TikTok’: Adriana Belmonte, Yahoo News, Nov. 29, 2022 — TikTok has become enormously popular with teens and young adults globally, and one U.S. senator is sounding the alarm on the security risks that the Chinese-operated app poses to the general public.
TikTok is the Epicenter of Israel’s Social Media War – Analyst: Zev Stub, Jerusalem Post, May 18, 2022 — The war against Israel is being fought on the video-sharing social media network TikTok with greater intensity than anything on other social media, says Sharel Omer, CEO of Affogata, a Tel Aviv-based company that helps brands track data about themselves and competitors on social media.
TikToker Montana Tucker Says Visit to Poland for New Holocaust Series Was the ‘Hardest’ Week of Her Life: Abigail Adams, People, Nov. 3, 2022 — Social media star Montana Tucker is known for posting fun videos of herself and others dancing, but her latest project strikes a much different chord.