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Dem Operatives Defend Chinese-Owned TikTok As A ‘Valuable’ Political Weapon

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Bronson Winslow
March 13, 2023 11:55 AM ET
  • Multiple Democratic operatives are defending TikTok, as they believe it is a “valuable weapon” for reaching the younger generation, with one operative saying the decision to ban the application would be “politically insane,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
  • The app is a key inroad to engaging the younger generation in political debates, as the audience is composed of mostly young people and is typically left-leaning.
  • Republicans have continually called for the app to be banned over fears that the application is Chinese spyware, with FBI Director Christopher Wray testifying in March that China could use TikTok owner ByteDance to control software on American devices.

Multiple Democratic operatives are defending TikTok, as they believe it is a “valuable weapon” for reaching the younger generation, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The defense of the Chinese-owned application comes amidst silence from the Biden administration on whether the app will be banned, with one Democratic operative saying the decision would be “politically insane,” according to the WSJ. The app is a key inroad to engaging the younger generation in political debates, as the audience is composed of mostly young people and is typically left-leaning.

One group, American Bridge 21st Century, defended the app, saying it is a “tool” that they wouldn’t want banned. American Bridge 21st Century is a nine-figure media program that funded numerous podcasters and influencers in 2022, focusing many of their resources on pushing President Joe Biden’s economic agenda to a young voter base, according to the Verge.

“Right now TikTok can be a valuable weapon, especially since Republicans have run away from it for political reasons,” Bradley Beychok, co-founder of American Bridge 21st Century, told the WSJ. “You wouldn’t want a tool like that to be taken off the shelf.”

Republicans have continually called for the app to be banned, as there are fears the Chinese-owned company could be used as spyware. In March, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that China could use TikTok owner ByteDance to control software on American devices.

Another Democratic operative, an unnamed consultant, told the WSJ that there is a sharp advantage for Democrats on TikTok as Republican counterparts tend to avoid the application due to security risks.

“Especially among Gen Z voters, it is the dominant platform,” the consultant told the WSJ. “If we’re going to turn out young voters …we’ve got to have things they actually like and do.”

Biden’s Commerce secretary, Gina Raimondo, also chimed in on the TikTok debate saying that there is political risk to banning the application, according to the WSJ. “The politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever,” she said.

Multiple connections between the administration and TikTok have been established, with Gen-Z for Change, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group that coaches influencers “how to talk about why they support Joe [Biden],” being founded and advised by Democratic presidential campaign staffer Madeline Twomey.

Twomey participated in Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign as the Community Content Director, and served as an Advertising Budget Manager on former President Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign. She also worked for Bully Pulpit Interactive and Priorities USA, two pro-Democrat consulting firms.

“It was really walking them through what we were looking for. And for us, talking about Biden was really important,” she said.

Last week, amidst congressional scrutiny and calls for the app to be banned, TikTok hired a consulting firm with ties to Biden. The firm, SKDK, has employed several people connected to Biden, including Anita Dunn, who currently works as a senior adviser to Biden.

The firm also employed White House communications directors Kate Berner and Herbie Ziskend.

Democrats have used TikTok to promote Biden and other Democratic candidates, but the app is also used by left-leaning advocacy groups fighting against “climate change.”

One nonprofit, the Conservation Lands Foundation, has used TikTok to push against the Willow Project, an Alaskan oil development. The organization uses TikTok to promote the #StopWillow campaign on social media platforms.

The group is advised by a Democratic communications professional and has worked with White House communications director Rob Flaherty and Dr. Anthony Fauci on issues such as COVID-19 vaccines and the Build Back Better agenda, the Daily Caller previously reported.

The Willow Project is a multi-billion dollar oil drilling development in Alaska which is expected to produce over 180,000 barrels of oil a day.

“We want to make sure that the digital products and services Americans use every day are safe and secure,” White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday.

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