Introduction
Our government just made a major move against a majorly addictive app. I’ll tell you why TikTok may be in major trouble. Plus… If it’s 12 here in Brooklyn, and 9 in San Francisco, what time is it…. on the moon? Those stories and more today on Notice News.
U.S. Government Bans TikTok from Federal Devices
Hey everyone, it’s Jonathan here in Brooklyn at Notice HQ. Chances are, you’re a TikTok user – if not a TikTok addict.
If that’s true, you might want to avoid a job with the federal government, which is banning TikTok from being on any government-owned devices.
On Monday, the White House told all government agencies — well over 400 of them — they have 30 days to make sure TikTok isn’t on any devices or networks owned by the federal government.
Last December, Congress voted to ban TikTok from equipment that belongs to the government… and countries across the world, including Canada just yesterday, have made similar moves.
Sound: Trudeau: “We are making the decision for government employees, for government equipment, it is better to not have them access TikTok, because of the concerns that people have in terms of safety.”
That’s because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance, and officials fear the Chinese government will use data collected by TikTok to spy on American citizens.
Unlike in the U.S, China’s communist government has much more control over private business – and access to the data they collect.
In fact, the FBI has warned the app’s data collection – and its super-addictive recommendation algorithm – poses national security risks for all Americans.
This ban doesn’t apply to personal phones or computers, but back in 2020, then-President Trump tried to ban TikTok from app stores.
That order was revoked by President Biden in 2021, in favor of a bigger review of all software connected to foreign governments.
But – some Democrats and Republicans in Congress are still calling for an outright TikTok ban for everyone.
China’s foreign ministry has criticized the U.S’s decision, claiming fears over TikTok are based on misinformation.
Sound: Foreign Ministry: We firmly oppose the USA’s wrong approach of overstretching the concept of national security, abusing national power, and unreasonably suppressing the companies of other countries.
Headlines
Here’s what else is making news right now.
The Supreme Court heard arguments over President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program yesterday. Angie will have a full report on tomorrow’s show.
A string of rare-February tornadoes knocked out power for thousands in Oklahoma earlier this week, while a winter storm gave the Northeast – including Brooklyn – its first major snow of the year. And…
There was a mini-“Friends” reunion on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame Monday. Both Phoebe and Rachel – Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston – were on hand to celebrate Monica’s – Courtney Cox’s – new star and gave speeches in her honor.
Is the Moon Getting its Own Time Zone?
Here’s a brain twister: if it’s 2 o’clock in Brooklyn, 11 o’clock in L.A., and 6 o’clock tomorrow in Sydney – what time is it on the moon?
That’s a serious question engineers and scientists are struggling with as mankind prepares to return to the moon’s surface.
Over the next decade, the U.S., China, Israel, and the European Union have all said they’re headed up there. To make things simpler – the European Space Agency has a simple answer: give the moon its own time zone.
They say establishing a universal lunar timezone will allow people in all timezones on Earth to coordinate with people working on the moon.
Time zones were initially developed to solve a similar problem.
They were first established in the late 1800s when long-distance rail travel became common, and coordination became necessary. But – there are a lot of hurdles to establishing a time zone for the moon though.
For one, time on Earth is measured by sunlight, which is completely different on the moon.
There’s also significantly less gravity on the moon than on Earth, making clocks tick slightly faster there, meaning the actual time keeping could get complicated. Whatever the solution, time is running low. NASA is hoping to land astronauts on the moon’s surface – in 2025.
Conclusion
That’s it for today – but let’s see how closely you were paying attention.
Go take the Notice News quiz on our website Noticenews.com.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more from us, Notice News.