TikTok Ban Could Hurt Dems More Than Republicans

[brooklynite]

Political Wire

Wall Street Journal: “A major unspoken problem for the president, according to political strategists, is that trying to force an outright ban on TikTok—as many Republicans are seeking—would sacrifice what is emerging as a vital campaign asset for Democrats with the 2024 election season looming.”

“TikTok’s audience is predominantly younger people, who typically favor Democrats by wide margins.”

“Turnout among younger voters surged in 2018, 2020 and 2022, helping the party deliver Republicans political setbacks. Unusually high turnout among younger voters in the 2022 midterm elections was credited with helping the party maintain control of the Senate and also limit its losses in the House.”

“For Democrats, a key to reaching those younger voters has been TikTok, according to consultants in both parties. That advantage has been sharpened by many Republicans’ refusal to use the platform because of its perceived security risks, Democratic strategists say.”

Precisely what Jaime Harrison told me last month.

[TheRealNorth]

1. My impression was that Republicans are targeting it because young people use it....

And this is part of their grievance politics. Don't know how this specifically hurts Democrats, unless the thinking is that banning Tiktok would force young people back to FakeBook and Twitter, where they could be influenced by Republican misinformation more easily.

[PortTack]

3. Young ppl will never go back to FB. They see it as their grandmother's app and are not interested

But..it’s zuckerberg that is pushing to see TikTok banned.

[Celerity]

13. back to Facebook?

I know also no one under 40 who uses that hellscape for anything other than a punchline

[PortTack]

2. If this legislation goes thru the senate and President Biden signs it, we are giving the right a big

‘24 Election boost. Gen Z and millennials will punish the Dems by not voting.

They use TikTok to connect and it’s incredibly effective.

FYI: zuckerberg is the main lobbying force for banning it.

[Elessar Zappa]

4. I think that's right.

I’m not for a ban, it will hurt us in ‘24.

[Trenzalore]

5. I'm more worried about foreign governments buying farms and drinking watrer

Don't care what teenagers do to entertain themselves.

[TheProle]

6. Bigger picture:

“Any company doing business in China for that matter is subject to Chinese national security laws, which requires turning over data to the state, and there is a reason we need to be very concerned. The bottom line is that China has been quite clear that they are trying to mold and put forward the use and norms around technology that advance their privilege and their interests. Their interests, which are not consistent with our own. Their interests, which are fueled by and directed toward an authoritarian approach to their government. And that is not consistent with ours. I don’t use TikTok, and I would not advise anyone to do so.”

- Lisa Monaco, former federal prosecutor and national security official who has served as the 39th deputy attorney general of the United States since April 2021; previously served as Homeland Security Advisor under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017.

[Still Sensible]

7. I can tell you that TikTok, like FB, seems to me to

feature a lot more anti-Biden, anti-Harris and pro-asshole content than anything progressive! I'm guessing there are probably pro-TFG-asshole bots there at work as there are on Facebook.

If the "consultants" referred to in this WSJ article believe that TikTok is being somehow used as an effective medium for our party "strategists" to reach the younger demos... someone needs to get word to them that they are doing a really shitty job!

The bullshit from the right is drowning out any pro-Democratic Party messaging on TikTok.

[crickets]

8. Regardless of security or messaging, it's their favorite online toy.

You can't take the toy away with nothing to replace it and not expect some heavy blowback. Get somebody to make a replacement toy that performs as well but doesn't have the same security issues. THEN take the Chinese version of the toy away.

[iemanja]

9. They can move on to the next platform

whichever one the young people pick. The voters won't disappear just because TikTok does.

[LeftInTX]

10. I thought the ban only applied to govt devices?

[TheRealNorth]

11. That was what I was thinking at first.

So it makes sense to ban it from government devices if there are security issues. But banning it from the U.S. seems like overreach - especially since we know Facebook has handed all of our data to Conservatives in the past.

[LeftInTX]

12. I don't think the president can do this via an EO?

I know telecoms can refuse to provide the app, but I don't think the president can order it.