Biden joins TikTok ahead of 2024 election
US President Joe Biden belatedly joined TikTok on Sunday, marking his debut on the social media platform with a 26-second video.
The move comes after the U.S. government has sharply criticized video-sharing platforms in recent years, particularly from Republicans but also the Biden administration.
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.
In a Sunday video posted to his @bidenhq campaign account, the 81-year-old Democratic president lightly touches on a wide range of topics, from politics to the NFL championship game.
When asked whether he prefers the Super Bowl or the famous halftime show, headlined this year by singer Usher, he chose to watch the actual game itself.
Asked if there was a secret plot to rig the game so pop star Taylor Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, could use her fame to support Biden. The president, on the other hand, jokingly leans into baseless right-wing conspiracy theories.
“I'll be in trouble if I tell you,” he says.
Citing security concerns, many states and the federal government have banned the app from official government terminals.
In Montana, a judge recently blocked the state's effort to ban the app completely.
The platform remains under Washington government oversight, but no further federal action to ban or curtail use of the app appears to have been triggered.
Civil liberties lawyer David Green recently told the Guardian: “The idea of a ban seems to have been pushed more as a political statement rather than a serious legislative effort.” He recently spoke to the British newspaper The Guardian.
As elections approach, the platform provides a conduit to young voters.
Sunday's video ends with the president asking who he prefers: himself or Republican front-runner Donald Trump.
“Are you kidding me?” he laughs. “Biden.”
Source: guardian.ng