Tag: avoid
What is Project Texas, TikTok’s best chance to avoid a ban?
![American flag displayed on a laptop screen, TikTok logo displayed on a phone screen and Ban sign displayed on a laptop screen are seen in this multiple exposure illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on March 27, 2023.](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/01qyh40wloyMu2WHNqEbUc5/hero-image.jpg)
TikTok knows it’s in trouble, and it has come up with a solution: Project Texas.
Lawmakers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Britain, France, and more countries have all implemented various bans of the app due to fears that TikTok is giving user data to the Chinese government. One investigative journalist uncovered examples of employees at ByteDance, a Chinese technology firm that owns TikTok, performing high-tech surveillance on journalists. She also found that user data supposedly quarantined in the U.S. was accessed from China. While this is all deeply troubling, experts don’t agree about the degree of the Chinese government’s involvement.
In the U.S. the effort behind the ban seems aggressive, but it hasn’t had much of an impact beyond political statements. The app is banned on government devices, but people working in the government can still use the app on their personal phones. And many universities have banned the app on institutional wifi and devices, a move that just forces students to use a different WiFi connection or their cellular plan to access TikTok instead.
Last week, TikTok CEO Shou Chew had his first appearance before Congress where it became increasingly clear that there is bipartisan support for a ban on the app. Chew’s answer? Project Texas, a $1.5-billion attempt to gain American confidence in TikTok’s security.
“Our approach has never been to dismiss or trivialize any of [your] concerns,” Chew told lawmakers at the hearing. “We have addressed them with real action now. That’s what we’ve been doing for the last two years, building what amounts to a firewall. The seals of protected US user data from unauthorized foreign access. The bottom line is this American data stored on American soil by an American company overseen by American personnel. We call this initiative Project Texas.”
Project Texas is meant to soothe a request the Biden administration made earlier this month: If TikTok’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes in the app to a U.S. company, the app would be banned.
Project Texas would restructure much of the corporate arm of TikTok so that U.S. user data is stored by a U.S. company (Oracle), a company based in a U.S. city (Austin, Texas). According to Texas Monthly, Project Texas’s operations would be monitored by an in-house committee approved by the U.S. government called TikTok U.S. Data Security. Project Texas would essentially act as a firewall, ensuring that the Chinese government couldn’t access U.S. user data and that Oracle would oversee it all.
“The way we’ve built this plan, and the level of external oversight, is really meant to make it so that you don’t have to take my word for it or Oracle’s word for it,” Brooke Oberwetter, TikTok’s head of policy communications, told Texas Monthly. “There will be multiple layers of oversight by multiple federal agencies, multiple outside consultants, security vendors, and auditors.”
The initiative began rolling out in July 2022, but until Project Texas is complete, Beijing-based employees of TikTok can still access U.S. user data. Chew said during his congressional hearing that he isn’t sure when Project Texas will be complete, but promised that it is “progressing quite well.”
Even though it is far from complete, Chew made Project Texas out to be a solution for every problem thrown his way multiple times throughout the hearing. He’d admit that something wasn’t ideal now, but will be under Project Texas — an answer lawmakers didn’t think was particularly helpful. Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers called Project Texas a “marketing scheme.” Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone called it “simply not acceptable.” Republican Rep. Bob Latta said he doesn’t think the project will actually be particularly “useful.”
Despite the bipartisan agreement that Project Texas isn’t an across-the-board solution, Chew stayed steadfast.
“I think we have designed Project Texas to protect U.S. user interests and to move forward here in the U.S.,” Chew said. “Again, it’s the protection of storing American data on American soil by an American company looked after by American personnel.”
The hearing made it clear that the U.S. wants to ban TikTok, and that TikTok sees Project Texas as its way out of that ban. It’s still unclear, though, if a ban will come before the project can be fully functional — rendering it useless — or if U.S. legislators will give the social media platform more time and leniency.
Sir Keir Starmer accused of hypocrisy over deal allowing him to avoid tax on pension
SIR Keir Starmer stood accused of hypocrisy last night after it emerged he has a unique pension deal allowing him to avoid tax on his savings.
The Labour chief wants wealthy savers to have a cap on their pension savings and led a Commons attempt last night to overturn a Budget policy change on the matter.
![](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/b2ca17ed-6f3d-4891-bc15-25d4287b4911.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But it emerged last night that while he was Director of Public Prosecutions he benefited from any money he saved in the role not counting towards his total, The Telegraph reported.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced last week that pensioners can save more than £1.07 million without incurring charges which stops many in senior roles including doctors from staying in work.
Sir Keir criticised Hunt for a “huge giveaway to some of the very wealthiest” by getting rid of the lifetime allowance for all pension pots.
Tory MP Kieran Mullan said: “This is brazen hypocrisy from Sir Keir Starmer.
“Sir Keir should come clean and explain why he should benefit from an uncapped pension pot, but other public servants shouldn’t.”
A Labour spokesman said: “The pension rules for the Director of Public Prosecutions are set by the government of the day, not the DPP themselves.”
Keto Diet Foods – Benefits, Foods to Eat and What to Avoid
Keto Diet Foods – Benefits, Foods to Eat and What to Avoid Blog – HealthifyMe Blog – HealthifyMe – The definitive guide to weight loss, fitness and living a healthier life.
Keto diets have become uber-trendy in recent years. A high-fat, low-carb meal plan has taken over the diet industry given its weight loss capabilities. Does the ketogenic diet really have therapeutic uses as endorsed by its proponents or is it just another hazard of diet culture? Let us find out. What is Keto Diet? A […]
The post Keto Diet Foods – Benefits, Foods to Eat and What to Avoid appeared first on Blog – HealthifyMe.
How Venture Capital Can Avoid the Next Silicon Valley Bank Fiasco
How to avoid losing money in a bear market
Bear markets can be challenging for investors. But Stephen Wright has a plan to avoid investing losses when the stock market is going down.
The post How to avoid losing money in a bear market appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.
US government tells Bytedance to sell TikTok to avoid a ban
I’m a 32G and used to work at Lululemon – these are the best sports bras to wear with big boobs and the ones to avoid
A FORMER Lululemon employee has revealed the best sports bras for women with “big knockers” to wear while working out.
TikToker Megan Donnelly, who is a 32G, laid out five amazing recommendations and mentioned one that bustier women should definitely avoid.
![](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/best-sports-bras-wear-big-803322398.jpg?strip=all&w=540)
A TikToker has revealed the best Lululemon bras for those with larger chests[/caption]
![](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/best-sports-bras-wear-big-803322400.jpg?strip=all&w=540)
Megan Donnelly said that she tried on tons of sports bras while working for the brand[/caption]
“I’m taking you through my five favorite Lululemon sports bras for my girls with big boobies,” Donnelly said in the clip.
While working at Lululemon, the fashionable lady was able to try on tons of different bras.
She joked about experiencing the struggle of finding a bra, as she is “not welcome in the itty bitty titty committee.”
“I don’t wanna feel like I’m strapped in and getting shot up to space or something,” Donnelly said.
“I want to look cute, I want support.”
Her first three options were all variations of the Energy Bra.
She immediately held up the classic option which gets the seal of approval, but advised that it may not be the best one for going on a run.
“We’ll get to that later,” she joked.
The next two were the Energy Bra Longline and the Energy Bra High neck.
“This one’s great for yoga,” she said of the high neck.
Donnelly admitted that she doesn’t normally run, but if she finds herself going for a jog, she will reach for her next rec – Lulu’s Enlite Front Zip Bra.
The workout garment features a sturdy zipper in the front that women can use to strap in the girls for a more public fitness outing.
Her final suggestion of what to buy is an online-only product called the Everlux High Neck Train Bra.
While Lululemon appears to have plenty of options for women with a larger chest, Donnelly joked about one garment that should definitely be avoided by buxom ladies.
“You know I’m not fitting into a Like a Cloud Bra,” she said with a goofy face.
This option offers lighter support for women going on low-impact outings.
Users were obsessed with the candid review, and one curious user asked what size the original poster ordered.
“I get size 8!” Donnelly responded.
“I find it has just the right support around the band area without bulging or feelings too restricted.”