Biden Campaign Breaks Ground with Official TikTok Account Despite Government Ban

President Joe Biden's TikTok Campaign

The reelection campaign of President Joe Biden made waves by launching its official TikTok account on Sunday night. The move is significant given that the app remains banned on most U.S. government-issued devices.

Launch and Significance

The TikTok account, @bidenhq, made its debut during the Lunar New Year celebrations in China and the Super Bowl 58 in the U.S. In late 2022, Biden signed legislation prohibiting the use of TikTok on most federal government-owned devices, marking a major victory for China skeptics in Congress. Following suit, several states and New York City also banned TikTok on government-owned devices citing various security concerns.

TikTok and Its Stakeholders

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, and its CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is a Singaporean graduate of Harvard Business School. Notably, one of TikTok's significant external investors is Susquehanna International Group, co-founded by billionaire Jeffrey Yass, who has made substantial donations to lawmakers opposing an outright ban of the app in the U.S.

Accusations and Strategy

Accusations have also been levied at TikTok, and other social media platforms, for spreading harmful online content affecting children's mental health and failing to protect them on the internet. Biden campaign advisors revealed that launching the TikTok account is part of their strategy to engage with voters where they are, recognizing the app's significance to younger Americans, including those of voting age. Statistics from a late 2023 Pew Research report highlighted that approximately one-third of 18-29 year olds in the U.S. regularly consume news on TikTok, a higher share than ever before.

Government Regulations and Administration's Stance

The Senate's recent focus on child safety saw rare bipartisan consensus on the need for tighter regulations on social media companies, including TikTok, Meta, Snap, Discord, and X (formerly Twitter). Since taking office, the Biden administration has had a complex relationship with TikTok. On one hand, they actively courted TikTok stars and content creators to amplify public service messages and engage young people in civic events. However, in tandem with China-skeptical lawmakers, the Biden administration reportedly pressured ByteDance to explore selling TikTok, reflecting a shift in their stance towards the app