White House sets up TikTok profile, with President Trump declaring, "I am your platform's voice"
The White House has taken a bold step into the world of social media, launching an official TikTok account on Tuesday evening. The account, named @whitehouse, marks a new era in government outreach, aiming to connect with younger audiences and present the administration's messages in a fresh, engaging way.
With over 170 million US users, TikTok offers a vast platform to reach a significant portion of the American population, particularly those who have shown interest in the platform during the 2024 presidential campaign. President Donald Trump, who has been credited with using TikTok to gain support among young voters, has already amassed more than 15 million followers on his personal account, @realdonaldtrump.
However, the launch of the White House's TikTok account comes amidst concerns regarding TikTok's Chinese ownership. U.S. intelligence and government officials have warned that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, may be influenced by the Chinese government, potentially exposing U.S. user data to foreign surveillance and enabling content manipulation through its algorithm.
These worries have led to legislative bans on TikTok on federal government devices and ongoing efforts to force ByteDance to divest TikTok in the U.S. A 2024 law required TikTok to stop operating by January 19, 2023, unless ByteDance had completed divesting the app's US assets or demonstrated significant progress toward a sale. However, the deadline for TikTok to comply with the law has been extended multiple times.
The first video on the new account shows footage of Trump declaring: "I am your voice." The caption on the first video reads: "America we are BACK! What's up TikTok?" This statement echoes the Trump administration's aim to communicate the president's achievements to various audiences and platforms.
Lawmakers in Washington worry that TikTok's US user data could fall into the hands of China's government. Some have criticized the Trump administration for extending the deadline, arguing that it is flouting the law and ignoring national security concerns related to Chinese control over TikTok.
President Trump has been working on a deal for US investors to buy TikTok from its Chinese parent, ByteDance. No specific buyer for TikTok has been announced, but Trump has stated that it will be purchased by "very wealthy people."
The launch of the White House's TikTok account highlights a complex balance between outreach advantages and national security risks that continue to shape U.S. policy and public debate regarding TikTok. As the debate continues, the account seeks to build on Trump's TikTok success and engage with people in "a way no other administration has before."
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