Aiming to secure support from young people amid concerns over aging population
Upload a ‘Balance Game’ video on the day of the Super Bowl
Even the Democratic Party pointed out that it was “unwise.”
U.S. President Joe Biden (81) began an online election campaign on TikTok, a video platform popular with Generation Z. He is the oldest U.S. president in history, and while a recent special prosecutor’s report referred to him as an ‘old man with a bad memory’, it is interpreted as a move to secure the support of young voters. However, there is also considerable criticism that it is a ‘naironambul’ in a situation where federal government officials have been banned from using TikTok, claiming that sensitive information may flow to its parent company, Chinese information technology (IT) company ByteDance.
President Biden’s re-election camp posted a 27-second ‘balance game’ video on the president’s TikTok account ‘bidenhq’ on the 11th, the day of the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL) final, where smartphone usage among all Americans is rapidly increasing. Raised it. A balance game is a game in which you must choose one of two difficult options.
In this video, President Biden deliberately gave a similar answer to the question, “Pick the NFL winning team.” He did not mention the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, who advanced to the finals. Instead, he chose the ‘Philadelphia Eagles’, which had a poor record this season and has ties to Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, where he was born.
President Biden’s so-called ‘sub-character’, ‘Dark Brandon’, also appeared in this video. He is a superhero character who shoots red laser beams from his eyes. This can also be interpreted as an intention to increase the attention of young people. This video is gaining popularity, recording more than 6.7 million views as of the 13th.
However, TikTok is suspected of collecting Americans’ personal information and manipulating algorithms to carry out propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party. This is why federal government officials have been prohibited from using TikTok on government-owned devices since March of last year. Accordingly, there is criticism that he is not reluctant to use TikTok, which is subject to regulation, as his approval rating recently fell behind former President Donald Trump, who is likely to clash again in the November presidential election.
Concerns were raised not only by the opposition Republican Party but also by the ruling Democratic Party. Raja Krishnamurti, a Democratic lawmaker who sits on the House Special Committee on China, expressed dissatisfaction, saying, “I don’t have a TikTok account and I don’t think it is wise to use TikTok on a personal device.” Mark Gallagher, chairman of the Special Committee on China, a Republican, also criticized, saying, “National security is much more important than encouraging young voters to vote and gaining support.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 12th, Vice President Kamala Harris said, “I am ready to take on the role” when asked whether the vice president should prove that he is qualified as a leader, considering concerns about the president’s advanced age. .
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.