- President Biden’s campaign is using TikTok to reach younger voters, even as Congress debates banning the app over national security concerns related to its Chinese ownership.
- TikTok is seen as an important platform for candidates to connect with younger voters who tend to be less engaged politically. Both parties are utilizing influencers to spread campaign messages.
- If Congress passes legislation to ban TikTok, Biden will have to decide whether to sign a bill prohibiting a tool his campaign sees as vital for reaching younger voters.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, candidates are faced with the challenge of how to best reach younger voters who tend to be less engaged in politics. The video app TikTok has emerged as an effective way to appeal to this critical demographic. However, TikTok’s Chinese ownership has raised concerns in Washington about national security risks. President Biden’s campaign is actively using TikTok to connect with younger voters even as Congress debates whether to ban it entirely.
Biden Joining TikTok Reflects Importance of Reaching Younger Voters
President Biden joined TikTok in January, posting a lighthearted video that poked fun at an online conspiracy theory about him rigging the Super Bowl. Biden’s presence on the massively popular app signals an understanding that he needs to interact directly with younger voters online. Turnout among younger voters was high in 2020 and is expected to remain significant in 2024. Biden trails challenger Donald Trump in most polls so far, making outreach to undecided young voters all the more important for his campaign.
How Campaigns Are Using TikTok to Connect with Younger Voters
Unlike Facebook which allows targeted ads, TikTok prohibits political advertising. Campaigns instead rely on influencers to spread their messages. Both parties are searching TikTok for popular creators who can discuss issues key to be mobilizing voters. The Biden campaign enlisted influencers last year to promote awareness around certain policies. The DNC and other Democratic groups used influencers in 2022 to energize voters around issues like abortion rights. TikTok provides campaigns an opportunity to reach younger people where they are, though some experts say Biden needs more issue-focused content.
Congress Debates Banning TikTok Over National Security Concerns
While the Biden campaign taps TikTok to engage potential voters, Congress is debating legislation to ban the app entirely due to concerns over its Chinese ownership. Lawmakers argue TikTok is a surveillance tool used by China to collect data on Americans. TikTok denies these allegations. The House introduced a bill this week to force TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to divest the app or face a ban. If passed, Biden would be faced with signing a bill that would prohibit his own campaign’s use of a tool he sees as vital for reaching younger voters. The conflicting stances illustrate the complicated balancing act around TikTok in US politics.
Conclusion
As campaigns recognize TikTok’s power to connect with younger audiences, they will likely increase their presence despite the national security debates swirling in Washington. Biden’s embrace of TikTok reflects a calculation that the benefits of engaging this key demographic outweigh the risks associated with the app’s Chinese ownership. It remains to be seen how Biden and other candidates will adjust their TikTok strategies if Congress acts to restrict or ban the platform.
