TikTokers escape censorship to more censorship

Hi Global Recap readers,

Happy weekend, everybody!

Although, it might not be a happy one for some TikTok doomscrollers... As many of our readers already know, the TikTok ban is set to go into effect on Sunday. This is incredibly nuanced, so we’ll go into detail about it below.

Now, here’s how some unsuspecting Americans got a taste of CCP censorship and racism. 👇️ 

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
TikTok Ban Upheld:
Unintended Consequences

On Friday, the Supreme Court has upheld the TikTok ban.

Biden administration’s stance? They are not levying billions of dollars in fines for violations, instead leaving it for the Trump administration to deal with it.

Supreme Court's Decision

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously to uphold the TikTok ban.

• This should be a win for his administration, as the ruling backs the very bill President Joe Biden signed in April. However, perhaps they’re getting cold feet after seeing TikTok users’ reactions—or maybe they always intended to pass it off to Trump?

• ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, must divest its ownership by Sunday or face a ban.

Users Flocking to Chinese App

One of the ways TikTok users are dealing with the looming ban is downloading RedNote, a Chinese social media platform. However, these “TikTok refugees” are encountering Chinese-style censorship for the first time, leading to mixed experiences.

• What does this mean? It means that, to escape censorship, they are flocking to an app where the censorship giant, the CCP, wields its own censorship powers.

• Testing: To test it, users posted content about the Tiananmen Square massacre, Uyghur concentration camps, and Taiwan’s sovereignty, only to be swiftly suspended for “violating platform rules.”

• Others: Black Americans are reporting that Chinese users are liberally using the “N-word.” Others also report facing censorship for posts about LGBTQ+ topics, fitness photos, and Japanese anime.

  • That being said, many also find the Chinese users friendlier too. So, it’s a mixed bag.

  • There are also videos of American users reporting how RedNote “opened their eyes” to the real world, criticizing the propaganda of the US. How ironic and… well, I won’t say it.
    
    (My Chinese friends who fled CCP censorship and are now living in the EU and US are fuming right now.)

TikTok's Future in the US

TikTok's fate now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.

• Trump, who previously favored a TikTok ban, has shown mixed signals recently.

• In December, Trump requested a pause on the law's implementation to explore a political resolution.

🇪🇺 EUROPEAN UNION
EU Orders X to
Disclose Algorithm

Brussels has demanded Elon Musk reveal recent changes to X's recommendation algorithm.

Algorithm Under Scrutiny

The European Commission's expanded probe, announced on January 17, 2025, requires X to hand over internal documents and retain all relevant records.

• The probe follows complaints from German politicians about X promoting far-right AfD content ahead of the February 23 elections.

• This move is supposedly part of ensuring platforms operating in the EU respect legislation for a fair, safe, and democratic online environment.

Political Reactions

German officials are not happy with Musk's stance.

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Musk's support for AfD “completely unacceptable.”

• AfD is currently polling second with around 20% support, ahead of Scholz’s Social Democrats.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Chinese Hackers Breach Treasury

While we’re on the topic of the CCP, let’s discuss its recent hacking of the US Treasury.

High-Level Breach

Hackers accessed computers of Yellen and her deputies.

• Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith were also targeted.

• Treasury spokesperson Chris Hayden declined to comment on the breach. 😬

Their Target

The attackers targeted Treasury's role in sanctions and intelligence.

• They supposedly did not penetrate the department's email or classified systems.

• Treasury staff briefed congressional aides and lawmakers about the hack.

Scale

The breach affected over 400 Treasury computers.

• Hackers accessed employee usernames, passwords, and more than 3,000 files on unclassified devices.

• Sensitive data and material on investigations by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US were also compromised.

Attribution and Response

The hack is attributed to Chinese state-sponsored actors.

• Known as Silk Typhoon and UNC5221, the hackers prioritized document collection and operated outside normal working hours.

• Chinese officials have denied involvement, calling the allegations “unwarranted and groundless.”

Musk’s Comments

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Ex-CIA Analyst
Leaked Israeli Plans

Former CIA analyst Asif W. Rahman has pleaded guilty to leaking top-secret documents detailing Israeli military preparations for a strike on Iran. This breach led to the delay of the planned attack.

High-Stakes Leak

Rahman leaked highly classified records from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

• The documents described aviation exercises and movements of munition carts on an Israeli airfield.

• The leak occurred on October 17, 2024, via a Telegram channel called “Middle East Spectator.”

Arrest and Charges

Rahman was arrested after FBI investigators traced the leak to his workstation.

• He was working at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at the time.

• Rahman initially pleaded not guilty but reversed his plea on January 17, 2025.

Sentencing and Cooperation

Rahman faces up to 20 years in prison but may receive a shorter sentence.

• Sentencing is set for May 15, 2025.

• Federal sentencing guidelines suggest a term of about five to 6½ years, with potential for further reduction if Rahman continues to cooperate.

Ideological Motives

Prosecutors suggest Rahman may have had ideological motives.

• He possibly posed a threat to US national security by retaining and deleting classified information.

• Rahman had been a CIA analyst since 2016 and had access to sensitive Middle East data.

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