In a desperate move to connect with younger voters, President Joe Biden has officially joined TikTok, unveiling the Biden-Harris HQ account during the NFL’s Super Bowl. The decision to use the popular short-form video app comes amid widespread suspicion in Washington regarding TikTok’s ties to the Chinese tech giant ByteDance.
Despite ongoing security concerns raised by the Biden administration regarding the potential sharing of user data with the Chinese government, the President’s reelection campaign defended the move as a vital strategy to engage with the younger demographic.
“The President’s TikTok debut last night — with more than 5 million views and counting — is proof positive of both our commitment and success in finding new, innovative ways to reach voters in an evolving, fragmented, and increasingly personalised media environment,” said Rob Flaherty, Biden reelection deputy campaign manager.
The inaugural TikTok video featured President Biden answering rapid-fire questions about the Super Bowl, touching on topics such as his preference between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
Adding a touch of humour, Biden coyly addressed a right-wing conspiracy theory about rigging the season for the Chiefs, stating, “I’d get in trouble if I told you”.
The video continued with a reference to the “Dark Brandon” meme, a part of the campaign’s online engagement strategy, before concluding with a playful jab at the opposition. When asked to choose between Trump or Biden, the President quipped: “Are you kidding me? Biden.”
While the TikTok debut garnered substantial attention, concerns regarding national security were not dismissed.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby emphasised that “there are still national security concerns about the use of TikTok on government devices” .
Kirby elaborated on the issues, citing worries about the potential misuse of data and privacy information by foreign actors, particularly the authoritarian Chinese government.
The FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have previously issued warnings about TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, possibly sharing user data, including sensitive information such as browsing history, location, and biometric identifiers, with the Chinese government.
In response, President Biden signed legislation in 2022 prohibiting the use of TikTok by federal government employees on agency-owned devices, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security, and security research purposes.
