In this episode, we discuss the banning of TikTok in India, Hong Kong and possibly soon in the US. Each government claiming that it’s a matter of national security. Walmart launches its own Prime service. Plus David’s “Rant of the Week.”

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Last week, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology banned more than 50 Chinese mobile apps, one of them being TikTok.  It is estimated that around 200 million of TikTok’s users are from India.

Hong Kong is following suit and banning TikTok as well.  The reason?  According to Indian officials, the banned apps “represented a threat to citizens’ privacy and national security. The agency noted it had received complaints that the apps were “stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data” to servers outside the nation, an activity that, the ministry said, “ultimately impinges on the sovereignty and security of India.”

The US has also expressed concern about several Chinese tech companies with heavy presence among US consumers, more recently Huawei and TikTok.

Earlier this week, Mike Pompeo US Secretary of State, was quoted as saying  that the US government is “looking at” banning TikTok and other mobile apps developed by Chinese companies.  He emphasized his concern about security issues by adding that US consumers should only use TikTok “if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”

On the eComm side, WalMart has officially launched its own version of Amazon “Prime.”  Just one more step to compete with Amazon on equal terms.  Will consumers leave Amazon and sign up with WalMart, or will they accept paying two separate subscriptions?

We finish this podcast with David’s “Rant of the Week.”  As efficient as Amazon is on the consumer customer service side, they are completely inept when it comes to respond to sellers questions and issues.

All that and more in this episode of MGR Unplugged.

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This episode is brought to you by MGR Agency. Scaling marketing for leading digital brands.

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