President Joe Biden took action on Wednesday by signing a bill aimed at potentially banning TikTok, the widely-used social media platform that U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns about due to its susceptibility to data manipulation by the Chinese Communist Party. Interestingly, despite the Biden re-election campaign's active presence on TikTok to engage with young voters, the bill gives TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, up to one year to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S.
Biden's campaign stance on TikTok appears paradoxical amidst the looming legal battle over ByteDance's divestment and ongoing assertions from lawmakers about the app's national security threat. The campaign has made it clear that it has no intention of discontinuing its use of TikTok during the election period.
"A fragmented media environment requires us to show up and meet voters where they are — and that includes online," a Biden campaign official conveyed to the media on Wednesday. "TikTok is one of many places we’re making sure our content is being seen by voters."
The Biden campaign first ventured onto TikTok under the handle @BidenHQ during the Super Bowl, tailoring content for a younger demographic, employing trendy language, and utilizing memes to convey messages, including critiques of former President Donald Trump and endorsements of Biden.
Despite the campaign's TikTok engagement, it has faced criticism, particularly from some Republican lawmakers. Biden had previously prohibited TikTok from government-issued devices in 2022, which contradicted his campaign's embrace of the platform.
The potential ban on TikTok has highlighted conflicting views among lawmakers and the public. Critics of TikTok have cited concerns such as its opaque data collection practices, exposure of users to harmful content, and the possibility of the CCP exploiting the app to influence American users.
The Biden campaign assured the media that it would implement "enhanced security measures" while using TikTok. However, as the U.S. government initiates the countdown for TikTok's sale, the campaign's continued use wreaks of "rules for thee, but not for me."
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