Biden Goes TikTok: Despite Government Account Ban

• Biden’s campaign joins TikTok, defying government ban.
• Despite security concerns, gains 30k+ followers and millions of views.
• Raises questions about politics and social media.

In a surprising move, the reelection campaign for US President Joe Biden has made its debut on TikTok, defying the White House ban on government agencies using the popular video-sharing platform. The campaign’s official account, @bidenhq, surfaced on TikTok during the Super Bowl, marking its entry into the realm of short-form video content.

Despite ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant that owns TikTok, being under scrutiny in the US for potential national security concerns, the Biden campaign quickly garnered attention on the platform. Within a short span, the account amassed over 30,000 followers, and the inaugural video posted during the Super Bowl received an impressive 3.4 million views and 356,000 likes.

This move comes in direct contrast to the Biden administration’s previous directive to government agencies to remove TikTok from federal government-owned phones and devices due to security apprehensions. TikTok has been under intense scrutiny, with some lawmakers advocating for an outright ban over fears that the Chinese government could exploit user data for national security or propaganda purposes.

While TikTok has consistently asserted its commitment to protecting the privacy of its users and denying any data-sharing with the Chinese government, the Biden campaign’s decision to join the platform raises eyebrows. The company, ByteDance, has not provided an immediate response to inquiries about the campaign’s presence on TikTok.

Biden’s campaign advisors released a statement justifying the move, stating that they would “continue meeting voters where they are,” emphasizing their presence on various social media platforms, including Meta Platform’s Instagram and Truth Social, owned by former President Donald Trump. The campaign assured that it is taking “advanced safety precautions” for its devices, and its TikTok presence is independent of the ongoing security review of the platform.

In contrast, former President Donald Trump, a prominent figure in the Republican party, does not have an official account on TikTok. As the Biden campaign gains momentum on the platform, the decision to embrace TikTok raises questions about the intersection of political campaigns, national security concerns, and the evolving landscape of social media engagement.

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