ToTok a messaging app similar to WhatsApp and Skype was recently kicked off of Google Play Store. The reasons behind it were that it was being used as a spying tool for UAE! It is the same for WhatsApp and Skype in Middle East as they are banned from being used.

What are factors and reasoning that we can hypothesize behind this? It certainly is a threat to national security of US citizens and other countries. In addition, they are a national messaging app in UAE and have similar prototype as WhatsApp and Skype!

If Google Play Store kicks the app off of their list it shows that Google is not being fair and modest to other tech firms around the world. Therefore, they are being obligated to the rules of the USA and the safety reasons of them.

Okay we get it ToTok was spying and what about the data collection and ads being sent by Facebook/Amazon/Instagram/Google when you utilize these sites in other countries. Wouldn’t other countries feel they want to create their own standard rules to keep their government and politics in checks and balances for their citizens?

Another factor is that ToTok was a nationalistic app not a Middle Eastern app. Hence, they created jobs, employment, and opportunity for their locals and citizens to work on a product. We get it there was a copy paste format and it goes as saying didn’t Facebook early model followed MySpace?

If we don’t have these competitions in the tech industry then the creativity will be based on global perspective rather than locals. This goes along with the accents and the ads that can be target to people of the region they are living as well.

If I live in Dubai, I don’t want to see ads that are the target for someone living in Istanbul and vice versa! This goes with how China and North Korea have their own platform of technology to keep their government intact. Which other countries such as Russia and Iran are planning to follow along as well.

The isolation will definitely keep their citizens unaware of outside world and cause backlashes. However, the government will feel safer and more secure for the future.

Another factor is that tech firms need to be universal based on their laws and politics to be able to have transparent point of views. However, this isn’t the case in the national security perspective and for the harmony of the society!