After all the drama about security and privacy, Biden joins TikTok 

• After all the noise about security and privacy, US President Joe Biden joins TikTok.
• President Biden joins TikTok to reach younger voters, which prefer using the social media app for news. 
• TikTok has over 150 million users in the US.

TikTok continues to face all types of challenges from the Biden Administration. And every time, the social media giant responds to each challenge and allegation in a positive manner.

With over 150 million users in the US, TikTok continues to be as transparent as it can be in everything it does, despite facing significantly more rigorous investigation than the likes of Facebook or X. While the US government has accused the app of being used for espionage by China, TikTok continues to prove otherwise, highlighting and showcasing all the steps it has taken to ensure the security and privacy of those using its app – and their data.

Most recently, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled by US senators on his ties with China. The Singaporean CEO patiently answered every query, while stating that neither he nor the app shares any data or information with China.

Can we say “McCarthyism much?”

The reality is that while the app does collect data, it’s mostly to improve its algorithms. All social media apps collect data to improve their algorithms. This helps the app improve its performance and cater to users’ needs.

Despite proving that the app does not share data with China, several states in the US have banned the use and download of the app on government devices. Several universities in the US have also banned the use of the app on campus.

In 2022, US President Joe Biden signed legislation blocking most federal government devices from using TikTok. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle continue to call for the app to be banned wholesale in the US over concerns the government in Beijing might be able to access user data.

Still, the site remains popular with young people in the US, a demographic that the White House is keen to energize for this November’s election. In fact, TikTok is not only capable of influencing the US election, it is also now the most popular source for news by the younger generation.

According to a report by Morning Consult, 47% of TikTok users say they get news from the app, compared to 30% in July 2022. Younger generations have become more accustomed to using this social network to follow the news – particularly in the wake of the “Muskification” of the platform everyone is still deadnaming as Twitter, and the return of extreme right wing accounts to that platform in the name of “free speech.”

Biden joins TikTok

On the surface then, it’s a bizarre twist that US President has now joined TikTok.

That’s right. Take a moment to absorb that information. For all the noise made over the last few years and the concerns they have had over the app, the US President is finally on TikTok.

So why the sudden change? As expected, with the election just months away, the US President is hoping to reach out to younger voters. These voters represent a huge demographic that still uses TikTok and relies heavily on the social media app for all its information.

According to a report by TIME, The account, @Bidenhq, will be run by Biden’s campaign staff alongside other accounts on X, Threads, Facebook, and Truth Social, according to campaign advisers. The President’s TikTok account was unveiled during the SuperBowl over the weekend and already has more than 65,000 followers as of Monday. Biden’s first video on the app also has more than half a million viewers.

“The campaign will continue meeting voters where they are, innovating to create content that will resonate with critical audiences and the core constituencies that make up the President’s diverse and broad coalition of voters,” advisers said. Biden campaign advisers added that they “are taking advanced safety precautions around our devices and incorporating a sophisticated security protocol to ensure security.”

Meanwhile, White House spokesperson John Kirby said nothing has changed about TikTok use from a national security perspective. Some users feel Biden’s move to join TikTok is a sign of how badly Democrats want to court young Americans ahead of the election.

“It’s shameful that Biden is embracing TikTok to compensate for bad polls driven by his mental decline,” Senator Tom Cotton posted on X. He also called TikTok a “spy app for the Chinese Communist Party.” Senator Josh Hawley also posted on X, apparently having never heard of irony, saying, “Joe Biden is so desperate to do anything to help his sad reelection bid he’s willing to use a Chinese spy app his own government has outlawed.”

While it remains to be seen how much of an impact Biden’s TikTok account will have on the elections, one thing is for certain: TikTok will most likely not be going anywhere. For now, the social media app can be relieved with this “small big” win.

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