White House joins TikTok amid looming ban in US
What's the story
The White House has launched an official TikTok account, despite the uncertain future of the platform in the US. The move comes just weeks before a deadline for TikTok's parent firm, ByteDance, to sell its US operations or face a countrywide ban. The White House account was launched with a video montage of President Donald Trump.
Timing significance
Deadline for ByteDance to sell US operations
The launch of the TikTok account comes less than a month before the September 17 deadline. This is when ByteDance must sell its US operations or face a nationwide ban. The first post on the official White House TikTok account features Trump saying, "Every day, I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation. I am your voice."
Statement
'America we are back! What's up TikTok?'
The post was captioned: "America we are BACK! What's up TikTok?" The account had over 20,000 followers by yesterday evening. This is the first official White House account on TikTok. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move reflects the administration's communication strategy to reach as many audiences and platforms as possible.
Security worries
Law signed by Biden last year
The law requiring TikTok to be sold or banned was signed last year by the then-President Joe Biden over national security concerns. Lawmakers feared Beijing could exploit TikTok's data on US users or use the app for propaganda. However, TikTok has denied sharing data with the Chinese government. The law came into effect on January 19, just before Trump's inauguration.
Policy
TikTok's future hinges on negotiations
Trump's stance on TikTok has changed over the years. He first called for a ban in 2020 but later embraced the platform during his 2024 presidential campaign. Notably, TikTok remains popular with around 170 million American users and nearly two billion worldwide. Its future now depends on negotiations between ByteDance, Washington, and Beijing.