Vice President Kamala Harris has revealed why President Joe Biden’s campaign continues to use TikTok even after the House passed a bill for the platform’s parent company, Bytedance, to sell the app or else face a potential ban.
In an interview with ABC News, Harris confirmed that “we do not intend to ban TikTok,” adding that there are “very important” benefits to the app, most notably, the ability to promote businesses, sell products, services and “allowing people to share information in a free way.”
She continued: “We need to deal with the owner and we have national security concerns about the owner of TikTok, but we have no intention to ban TikTok.”
Last month, the Biden campaign used TikTok to reach younger voters and encouraged Americans to follow their account.
Since then, critics have critiqued both Biden and Harris for using the app, even though both Congress and the administration have admitted that the platform poses a national security risk to millions of Americans.
Not long ago, Biden signed legislation banning TikTok from being used on federal government devices. The move was in support of a bill that wanted TikTok’s parent company to sell that portion of the app.
When asked if Harris would continue to use TikTok as the Biden administration continued its 2024 presidential campaign, she responded, “We’ll address that when we come to it. But right now we are concerned about the owner of TikTok and the national security implications.”
Background
Earlier this month, the House approved a bill with strong bipartisan backing, which mandates that TikTok’s Chinese parent company must either divest the immensely popular video-sharing app or face its prohibition in the United States.
This development amplifies an ongoing confrontation between Beijing and Washington regarding control over various technologies, with potential implications for national security, freedom of speech, and the social media sector.
Republican leaders expedited the bill’s passage in the House with minimal debate, resulting in a decisive vote of 352 to 65, underscoring widespread support for legislation targeting China, particularly in an election year.
Despite TikTok’s efforts to rally its 170 million American users against the measure, and amidst the Biden administration’s endeavors to persuade lawmakers about the serious national security concerns posed by Chinese ownership of the platform — including potential electoral interference — the bill advanced.
