Tucker and TikTok
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By Don Varyu
April 24, 2023
Well, Tucker Carlson is history--bounced by Fox News. Which means, among other things, that I was wrong. I thought Rupert Murdoch would not risk losing his biggest cash cow.
Which has led to immediate speculation on why--particularly why now? That might be the easiest question to answer--this happened in the direct wake of a settlement that cost Murdoch’s empire $787 million (although how much of that might be covered by tax write-offs and insurance is unclear). To ditch Carlson before the settlement could have been construed as a separate admission of libel--and cost them even more.
So the bigger question is what exactly was it that finally got under Murdoch's skin?:
The persistent, virulent racism?; the repeated allegations of a "white replacement" theory?
The antisemitism rampant on his staff, as claimed by a former producer in a current lawsuit?
Carlson's constant rejection of the idea that the Jan. 6 attack was an insurrection?
His support of Russia in its invasion of Ukraine?
His continued on-air shilling for Trump...while off air claiming he "hated" him?
My favorite were his comments under oath that the Fox management team was too old, too proud and too liberal (wha?!) Even billionaires get insulted.
We'll probably never know, and in the end it doesn't matter. What does matter is the true nature of Carlson's menace. It's the same one that we see other places.
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Recently both Republicans and Democrats showed a rare display of bipartisanship in skewering the U.S. head of TikTok on why his company should not be banned in America. The most-stated charge was that this Chinese company was in fact doing the bidding of the Chinese government by scraping the personal data of U.S. citizens. In reality, the Not Chinese have much simpler ways of doing this. But more to the point, if the typical consumer was truly concerned, Siri or Alexa would not be listening to their conversations...placing their phone calls...or making all types credit card orders and reservations. The secrets are already out there--voluntarily.
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Finally, think about that nice young man Jeff Zuckerberg who invented a way for Grandma to keep in touch with her family and old friends-. Unfortunately, it also gave grandpa the means to unearth fellow wackos who share his rage and paranoia.
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So, what is it that ties all these things together: Carlson's venom, TikTok’s endless carnival...and Zuckerberg's hellscape?
Each was programmed to work under the same operating instructions: providing a vehicle for foreign adversaries to sow anger, outrage and chaos inside American borders; to act exactly opposite to what was once called the American way of life. Stomp, scream, fight. Find someone to hate--and hate him.
The Russians used Facebook to distribute false claims that helped swing the 2016 election to Donald Trump.
TikTok uses an invisible algorithm that prioritizes its content, and thus makes decisions over time that could steadily convince young people that its homeland is silly, vulgar--or worse.
But Carlson provided the most graphic nightly flood of societal sewage. His sneering slants and lies were designed only to make his viewers seethe. In retrospect, it doesn't matter if he was a racist or an antisemite or an apologist for every foul deed and dictator. Rage meant ratings. Why would the old Aussie at the top care how much America was kneecapped in the process?
China is subtle. Russia will be more direct. In either case, the goal is to turn Americans against Americans. And it seems to be working just fine. But don't assume Carlson's departure will make him disappear. Just hours after his axing, two different Russian TV programs invited him to join them.
The mouth shall rise again?
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