Despite half of US banning TikTok over national security, Prez Biden joins platform

The campaign for US President Joe Biden has launched its presence on TikTok, despite prior concerns expressed by the administration regarding the platform’s national security implications, leading to its ban on federal devices. According to aides, President Biden is not expected to personally engage on the platform, nor are other members of his administration. The campaign aims to utilise TikTok to connect with voters amid a fragmented American population, particularly targeting younger demographics shifting away from traditional media platforms. In its inaugural post, the campaign showcased President Biden participating in a Super Bowl quiz, touching on contemporary political topics including a conspiracy theory involving musician Taylor Swift. Concerns over user data privacy have been raised by both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission, highlighting potential risks associated with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, sharing data with the Chinese government. President Biden previously enforced a ban on TikTok for nearly 4 million federal employees, citing national security concerns, although exceptions were made for specific purposes such as law enforcement and national security. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has been conducting a thorough review of TikTok over several years due to its secretive nature and potential security risks. Despite assurances from campaign officials regarding advanced security measures, specific details on these precautions have not been disclosed, raising questions about the protection of campaign data and voter information. China’s 2017 legislation mandates companies to provide relevant personal data to the government for national security purposes, further fueling concerns over TikTok’s data handling practices. While there is no concrete evidence of TikTok sharing such data, apprehensions persist due to the platform’s extensive collection of user data, similar to other social media platforms. The Biden campaign has committed to regularly posting content on TikTok through the BidenHQ account, emphasizing its importance as a platform for engaging with voters. In contrast, former President Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate, does not maintain an official presence on TikTok. The Biden campaign utilizes various social media platforms including Meta’s Threads, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Truth Social, endorsed by Trump, alongside smaller events featuring the president, to effectively reach targeted voter demographics. Additionally, the campaign and the White House have intensified efforts to collaborate with social media influencers to amplify President Biden’s message. (With inputs from Agencies)