Brian Fung | @[email protected]

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@dellcam ¿Por qué no los dos? — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@cwarzel Many people seem to have forgotten that Trump getting elected the first time was deemed a low-probability event, and that everyone assumed low probability meant no probability. So maybe it’s understandable folks are more cautious this time. https://t.co/LKLmgTLYlS https://t.co/59rCn6JL29 — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Just finished @bartongellman’s piece and I am almost physically ill with dread. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Soon after, Trump abruptly ended the press conference to take what he said was an “emergency phone call." — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@Avaaz Facebook to me just now: "We reject ads that include content which has been debunked on our platform by our fact-checking partners. We are reviewing these ads, which are now inactive, to determine if they should've been rejected.” https://t.co/GosfSF1qzq — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

RT @BobbyAllyn: While TikTok's lawyers are not saying it outright, they sure are strongly suggesting that they think Trump's crackdown on T… — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

NEW: Facebook has allowed hundreds of misleading super PAC ads on its platform in recent weeks, according to new research by @Avaaz, despite fact-checks that should have resulted in enforcement under Facebook’s own policies. More here: https://t.co/GosfSF1qzq — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@blakereid @GauravLaroia Oh, I see what you mean. The last sentence of the new (c)(1)(B) seems to provide the link? As I understand it, it’s saying “platforms aren’t publishers, except when it comes to filtering — liability for which hinges on (c)(2)(A) under the new good faith test outlined in (g)(5)." — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@blakereid @GauravLaroia It’s a good question. This seems to be where the new (g)(5) comes in — the provisions newly outlining a good-faith test. https://t.co/6A4cycj8zA — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Here’s a link to the DOJ proposal on Section 230: https://t.co/FWPzwBkH3A — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@matthewstoller Clearly *somebody* still thinks it’s 1996! https://t.co/rwGk2Fuy3e — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@blakereid You raise some very good points. In my defense, I didn’t say that the proposal makes it illegal for platforms to remove content they deem objectionable, just that it elliminates their ability (under 230). I probably could have beeen clearer with the parenthetical though. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

DOJ has submitted draft legislation to Congress seeking to curtail Big Tech’s liability protections under #Section230, the agency says. It eliminates platforms’ ability to remove content as “objectionable” and restricts them to removing content only under specific scenarios. https://t.co/dyvgX2m3jn — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

RT @byHeatherLong: I agree w/@brianstelter Let's not forget that: ~29 million Americans r on unemployment aid -15% of renters (8 million… — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Uh… no? https://t.co/dn6rstINWT — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

RT @donie: #BREAK: Facebook takes down fake Chinese accounts that it says were posting about 2020 US election https://t.co/GUI8P5tJjZ — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Here's @zackbeauchamp highlighting some striking political science research. “There is a consensus among comparative politics scholars that the Republican Party is one of the most anti-democratic political parties in the developed world.” https://t.co/hT27g66iaL https://t.co/Ld69FaVZEe — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Right now the broad strokes are that Oracle will review ByteDance’s code, but many of the specific mechanics aren’t yet clear. Can Oracle ask ByteDance for changes? Make unilateral changes? Just do a thumbs-up / thumbs-down? TBD, I’m told. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

NEW: Negotiators in the TikTok deal aim to finalize CFIUS talks by week’s end, according to two people familiar with the matter. Some outstanding details still need hammering out, one person said, including whether Oracle can make changes to ByteDance code for TikTok security. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@ZamirAtNAB The cat is cute and all but have you used that discount code yet? — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

This comes after @TonyRomm, @ceciliakang @dmccabe and @daiwaka reported the coming briefing: https://t.co/uBaskkKbQU https://t.co/R1PAihdll1 — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

DOJ will brief state officials on its antitrust probe into Google this week, according to four people familiar with the matter, in what foreshadows a possible suit against the company as early as next week. Invitations went to all states investigating Google, two people said. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Not a surprise, but last night DOJ filed its reply defending its motion to dismiss @CenDemTech’s suit against Trump’s social media executive order: https://t.co/nksRHYwI92 https://t.co/RWttW4dWmm — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

I spoke to @kierstentodt and @james_a_lewis on the TikTok deal. Todt described the confusing structure as “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” as Lewis told me it looked like a “sleight of hand.” Todt argues it doesn’t resolve the natsec concerns; Lewis says it “should.” — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

@DylanByers What I’ve been told is that ByteDance would own the source code and algorithms (because Douyin) and would give TikTok Global access to said technology. At that point, Oracle does the security vetting, etc. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Where the parties seem aligned is that ByteDance’s founder Zhang Yiming is likely to serve as a member of the board of TikTok Global. But this ownership thing is still messy and seems unsettled based on the various companies’ public statements. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

At some point in the next year, TikTok Global plans to file for an IPO on a US stock exchange. Based on that listing, the parties anticipate the stake in TikTok that’s held by US investors to grow even further, from 53% to closer to 59%, the person said. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

At this stage, 11% of TikTok’s investors are international and 36% Chinese. Bear in mind that these investors, along with some fraction of the US investors in TikTok, are still separately investors in ByteDance, but are not ByteDance. Follow me? — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

Then, once TikTok Global is set up, Walmart and Oracle come in with their investments, diluting the shares and ending up at a cumulative 20% stake in TikTok. That’s how you get this number where 53% of TikTok ends up being held by US shareholders, according to the person. — PolitiTweet.org

Brian Fung | @[email protected] @b_fung

So just as ByteDance is currently broken down by 41% US investors, 14% international investors and 45% Chinese investors, TikTok Global will also have this same breakdown in investor stakes. But ByteDance, the actual corporate entity, will not be an investor, the person said. — PolitiTweet.org