Letters: TikTok fears are not unfounded, but U.S. tech innovators can handle it

In recent years, the popular social media platform TikTok has become a lightning rod for controversy. The debate centers around whether Congress should force the sale of TikTok to a U.S. company or outright ban it.

First and foremost, let’s address the elephant in the room: national security. The FBI has long expressed concerns about TikTok’s potential risks. The app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could theoretically use it to control software on millions of devices in the U.S. or conduct influence operations. These fears are not unfounded, given the geopolitical tensions between China and the United States.

The recent bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives reflects bipartisan support for addressing these concerns. By forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok to non-Chinese owners within six months, the legislation aims to mitigate national security risks. It’s a common-sense measure to protect our country.

But what if TikTok isn’t bought by a U.S. company or entrepreneur? Some argue that banning TikTok would stifle innovation and limit competition. However, this perspective overlooks the entrepreneurial spirit that defines America.

Our nation has a rich history of entrepreneurs seizing opportunities, especially in the tech sector. When faced with challenges, they innovate. If TikTok were to disappear, it would create a vacuum — a void waiting to be filled, and entrepreneurs rush in where there’s a void. We’ve seen this pattern throughout history: When one door closes, another opens.

Imagine an alternative to TikTok, based in the U.S. — an app that respects user privacy, promotes creativity and champions free expression. Entrepreneurs could build a platform that embodies American values while providing a space for content creators to flourish. The entrepreneurial ecosystem here is robust, and the hunger for innovation is insatiable.

The bill faces an uncertain path in the Senate, and legal challenges may follow, even if it becomes law. Whether TikTok survives or not, American entrepreneurs will continue to shape the digital landscape.

David Linsky, Jacksonville

More charter school privileges?

Maybe Nate Monroe can revisit the issue of the amount of sales surtax going to charter schools, now that the JEA trial is over.

He reported in 2022 on the first effort to get the tax on the ballot three years earlier, and “city officials allied with charter school interests to block the effort. They did not relent until the state Legislature passed a law in 2020 requiring sales tax proceeds to be split with charters.”

Things haven't gotten better since then. The Duval School Board is saying they won't be able to meet the promises they made when voters approved the referendum in 2020, partly because the Legislature keeps forcing them to give a much larger chunk of the money to brand-new charter schools.

I am troubled that SB 748 and HB 1323, introduced by Sen. Tracie Davis and Rep. Angie Nixon, wasn't passed this legislative session. It would have required that charter schools let us know how they are spending our sales surtax dollars — if that money is being spent on leases with related parties and/or leases at exorbitant rates not in line with fair market value.

That would only enrich the owners.

Even though the state legislative committee chairs wouldn’t even put these bills on their agenda, they managed to pass HB 1285. This bill does not increase accountability and transparency for charter schools; instead, it looks to me that it gives charter schools even more privileges.

Susan Aertker, Jacksonville

Beaches officials put tourists over residents

With the recent shooting in Jacksonville Beach, I believe the boosterish leadership at all three Beaches communities has (for a decade or more) courted the conditions that led to the mayhem on Sunday night.

They’ve lusted after crowds, promoted weekly events and allowed variance after variance for new bars or restaurants. Officials have also shown indifference to parking and traffic in residential neighborhoods near business districts and the beach. The convenience of visitors has been far more important than the safety and security of Beaches residents.

The lawlessness that has increasingly infected Jacksonville Beach will certainly continue there, unabated, and will just as certainly make its way to Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach Town Center, because leadership in both communities apparently want to be “players,” to be seen and put us “on the map.”

This debate — to remain a small, unique community or become just another Florida hotspot — has gone on for years. It always seems to be won by development interests who want to pack in more and more bars, businesses, people and events. Each mayor will protest otherwise, no doubt.

In Neptune Beach, Shad Khan’s investment group has already purchased the Lemon Bar & Seahorse Inn, most likely to begin transforming our community into something more reminiscent of Daytona Beach or Panama City Beach — and now Jacksonville Beach — than the unique community we’ve always been.

Mike Disch, Neptune Beach

Discernment, thinking still critical abilities

In her March 17 guest column, Verla Wallace used the term "death of discernment" to perfectly describe voter apathy regarding misinformation and disinformation.

Whether attributed to fatigue, laziness or intentional political strategy, it is extremely worrisome. In conversations with knowledgeable friends around the country, Florida seems particularly undiscerning. It bears remembering that 1930s Nazi Germany propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels allegedly formulated “the big lie” strategy: Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes truth.

Unless democracy-killing autocracy is our desired future, we must work hard to think for ourselves and learn to discern the truth.

Slightly less important is to nurture and expand our ability to think, rather than subcontract that skillset to the latest AI chatbot, as writer Jennifer Jolly suggested in her article on Page E4.

As a physician I appreciate AI’s assistance with critical pattern recognition tasks, discerning cancer from benign abnormalities on mammograms and biopsies, as well as assessing millions of bits of medical information to arrive at a diagnosis. I’m older, stubborn and critical, but do we need three chatbots at $20 each month ($720 per year) to accomplish the mundane chores Jolly describes?

I’m in the “use it or lose it” camp regarding our capability to think. Discernment and thinking remain critically essential abilities

Michael Miller, Ponte Vedra Beach

Join the ‘gridlock bloc’ this fall

Apparently, there are a lot of voters that are not happy with either presidential candidate. They may feel that both candidates have extreme agendas or perhaps they have a variety of reasons.

The reasons don't matter. If you’re among the 30% of voters that hate both candidates, what do you do on Election Day?

Here's a solution: Vote for gridlock.

Simply vote for one presidential candidate or the other, and then vote for the Congressional candidate from the opposite party. With 30% of the voters following this principle, my hunch is that neither candidate will be able to implement their agenda because the opposite party will have control of Congress (and they hate each other).

The only things that will get done in the next four years are those that have universal appeal. That makes gridlock better than either extreme.

So, join the gridlock bloc. There's no need to change your party affiliation, no campaign contributions required and no meetings or rallies to attend. To join, simply split your November ballot.

It may be the most patriotic thing you ever do.

Paul Ayres, Orange Park

NAACP fighting for the wrong things

The March 14 USA Today article in the Times-Union reported on the NAACP urging the boycott of Florida universities, mainly because of the abolishment of DEI programs.

I can understand that the NAACP wants to encourage the attendance of more Black students in colleges and universities. However, in their zeal to promote more attendance they appear to have diminished the importance of merit, character and morality, replacing it with the superficiality of skin color, gender and minority status.

I believe the U.S. has prospered because citizens of all races have practiced personal responsibility by embracing positive moral character. These DEI programs may sound positive at first glance because they supposedly promote diversity, equity and inclusion. But to me, they really promote racial prejudice, inequity to those who have worked hard and immorality that undermines society.

It is unfortunate that the NAACP seems to have lost its way over the years. It used to have the calling to judge people by their character's content; now it looks to be judging by the color of one's skin, something they once fought hard against.

Calvin Johnson, Jacksonville

In praise of the library

By reading the March 15 Lonely Victories newsletter, put out by Jacksonville native Hurley Winkler, I was reminded that I can check out audiobooks from Jacksonville Public Library for free. She provided a link to subscribe online, something I had been meaning to do for ages but never got around to doing.

When I downloaded Libby (the audio app), I was informed I already had a library card — long lost. So, though a bit discouraged at the roadblock, I put getting a replacement card on my never-ending "to do" list.

Much to my surprise, the very next day I received an email from Cindy Mathieson, customer experience librarian at the library. She said she saw my application and was sending me my library card number in case I needed it. Due to her proactive kindness, I was able to sign up for Libby there and then.

Thank you, Ms. Winkler and Ms. Mathieson, for making my life just that much easier. You make me proud to be from Jacksonville.

Ginger Sheridan, Neptune Beach

Confronting violence in Jacksonville

We are deeply concerned about the number of shootings and murders in Jacksonville. Cities like Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Boston have used an approach called Group Violence Intervention to reduce homicides by as much as 63%.

In 2016 the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office introduced this program to Jacksonville. However, since 2016, murders have not significantly decreased. Our group, ICARE, is asking Sheriff T.K. Waters to bring the National Network for Safe Communities back to Jacksonville to assess our program.

Members of the community who are concerned about violence are invited to attend our Nehemiah Assembly on April 15 at 6:45 p.m. at Abyssinia Missionary Baptist, 10325 Interstate Center Drive, Jacksonville.

Leaders of ICARE — Monsignor James Boddie, Christ the King Catholic Church, co-president; Father Keith Oglesby, Episcopal Diocese of Florida, co-president; Hazzan Jesse Holzer, Jacksonville Jewish Center, vice-president; Geneva Pittman, St. Paul AME Church, treasurer; and the Rev. Adam Gray, Riverside Church at Park and King, secretary.

Monroe did his patriotic duty

Nate Monroe must be very bitter about the whole JEA sale fiasco for which he, and he alone, was the town crier over many years. He was attacked repeatedly in the letters section — and in other forums, I’m sure — as part of the “deep state” conspiracy fomented by those horrible socialist liberals.

He was even followed and spied on, which must have been frightening, but it did not alter his continuous drumbeat in his columns. Thank you, Nate, for being a true patriot.

Peter Bishop, Jacksonville

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Losing TikTok not a crisis, American ingenuity can create alternative