According to Neowin, although the US government continuously warns about potential security risks from TikTok, President Biden suddenly launched an official account on this platform during his re-election campaign, causing a lot of controversy.
Just a few hours before the Super Bowl LVIII football match, Mr. Biden’s TikTok account posted the first video, in which the US president shared his thoughts about the match. This video attracted more than 4.2 million views, showing TikTok’s undeniable appeal to young people
However, this move goes against the US government’s policy. In February 2023, the country’s government banned TikTok on devices owned by state agencies due to concerns that China could collect personal data.
Explaining this contradiction, Mr. Biden’s advisors said they wanted to reach more voters, especially young people, who are the most popular user group using TikTok. According to a Pew Research survey, up to 1/3 of Americans aged 18-29 said they regularly watch news from TikTok
However, using TikTok in President Biden’s election campaign also raises many questions about the consistency of the government’s policy towards this platform. In March 2023, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) proposed separating TikTok from parent company ByteDance to avoid a ban.
Currently, it is unclear whether Mr. Biden’s election campaign will continue to use TikTok in the future. However, this contradiction will certainly continue to attract public attention and raise questions about the relationship between the Biden administration and TikTok.
