Even the White House acknowledged on Monday that it still has concerns about TikTok.
Washington:
US President Joe Biden's TikTok debut has caused a stir, especially since the Chinese-owned social media platform is still officially considered a national security risk by the Washington government.
The video, posted during Sunday's Super Bowl, is part of the 81-year-old's re-election campaign's efforts to reach younger voters and includes references to the bizarre meme of Biden's laser-eyed alter ego. Ta.
But Republicans have criticized Biden's use of apps banned on federal devices, saying they could collect data for the Chinese government.
Even the White House acknowledged on Monday that it still has concerns about TikTok.
“There are still national security concerns about the use of TikTok on government devices,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters after repeated questions on the issue. There are no changes.”
The White House said election rules prohibit it from commenting publicly on campaign issues, but acknowledged concerns that platforms like TikTok could spread disinformation more broadly. He said he is doing so.
“That's a concern that we have,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance and has been accused by a wide range of U.S. politicians of being a propaganda tool used by the Chinese government, a charge the company vehemently denies.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said on X (formerly Twitter) that although she had concerns, “this did not stop the Biden campaign from participating in the Chinese Communist Party's dangerous propaganda app.” .
“Panic is when the Biden campaign joins TikTok after the White House banned the app from its devices a year ago,” added Republican Rep. Darrell Issa.
– “Hey, guys” –
Nevertheless, the Biden campaign believes it's worth tackling TikTok to win over younger voters ahead of an expected November clash with former Republican president and social media titan Donald Trump. It was clearly determined that there was.
The social media posts are also aimed at allaying voter concerns about Biden's age, which have grown since a special counsel report last week described him as a “well-intentioned elderly man with a poor memory.” Are expected.
Sunday's video posted to the @bidenhq campaign account is titled “lol hey guys,” and it makes fun of a variety of topics, from politics to the NFL championship game.
Asked about the right-wing conspiracy theory that the game was rigged to allow pop star Taylor Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, Biden joked, “I'd be in trouble if I said that.” flew. That's because she became famous for supporting Biden.
The video then flashes up the “Dark Brandon” meme, an image of Biden with red eyes and a wide smile that Democrats use to imply superpowers.
“The president's TikTok debut last night, with over 5 million views and counting, finds new and innovative ways to reach voters,” Rob Flaherty, vice president of the Biden campaign, said in a statement. This is a positive testament to both our efforts and our success.”
Jean-Pierre said this exploration of new media partially explains why Biden held 33 more press conferences than his predecessor (over the same period, according to the University of California). Trump held 33 press conferences in his first three years, compared to 66 for Barack Obama and 52 for Trump. American Presidential Project in Santa Barbara.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
