In a surprising move, the Biden-Harris campaign has faced criticism for joining the popular social media platform TikTok, despite the administration signing legislation banning the app from most federal devices in 2022. The campaign's first TikTok video featured President Biden answering quizzes about the Super Bowl, garnering attention from Republican lawmakers.

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, called out the Biden-Harris campaign on social media for using the Chinese-owned app, stating, "Biden campaign bragging about using a Chinese spy app even though Biden signed a law banning it on all federal devices." The legislation signed in February 2023 gave government agencies a 30-day deadline to remove TikTok, owned by ByteDance, from federal devices.

Several Republicans, including Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas, have been vocal about their concerns regarding TikTok. They argue that the app poses a national security threat and steals Americans' data. China's enforcement of a law mandating companies to provide the government with personal data, including information related to national security, has further fueled these concerns.

Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have cautioned that ByteDance may potentially share user data, such as browsing history, location information, and biometric identifiers, with the Chinese Communist Party. This has led some lawmakers to call for a nationwide ban on TikTok and other Chinese tech companies.

The Biden-Harris campaign's decision to join TikTok raises questions about the potential risks involved. However, the campaign has assured the public that they are taking advanced safety precautions and incorporating strict security protocols to ensure data privacy. They have also emphasized that their presence on TikTok is independent of the ongoing review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

TikTok has gained immense popularity among young voters, making it an attractive platform for political campaigns. The Biden-Harris campaign's presence on TikTok, along with other social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Meta's Threads, and former President Trump's Truth Social, highlights their efforts to reach a diverse and broad coalition of voters.

It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the campaign's image and whether further action will be taken regarding TikTok. As concerns over data security and national security continue to grow, the debate surrounding the use of Chinese-owned tech platforms like TikTok is likely to persist.