Democrats Worry Crackdown on TikTok Could Hurt Party

[applegrove]

Democrats Worry Crackdown on TikTok Could Hurt Party

April 16, 2023 at 7:28 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 188 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2023/04/16/democrats-worry-crackdown-on-tiktok-could-hurt-party/

"SNIP........

Washington Post: “Democrats have so successfully cultivated TikTok clout and the soapbox it provides for young voters — in contrast to Republicans’ far less enthusiastic embrace — that party operatives are now drawing up detailed plans to dramatically expand its use in the 2024 campaign.”

“But that strategy is colliding head-on with the Biden administration’s push to crack down on TikTok. Fearing that the app’s Chinese ownership could pose a security threat, the administration, through a powerful interagency committee, is pushing a plan that would require TikTok’s Chinese owners to divest from the popular video app.”

.........SNIP"

[David__77]

1. Absolutely. It's appalling.

And further, it’s doomed to failure.

[cilla4progress]

2. Well they've banned it in Montana -

Ruby red state.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/04/15/montana-bans-tiktok-heres-why-its-probably-unenforceable/

The Montana House voted Friday to approve a bill banning TikTok in the state, the first of its kind in the U.S.—though it’s unclear how the state would be able to ever enforce such a ban.

[David__77]

4. I hope that helps turn Democrats against such bans.

…

[dchill]

3. Yep. That's our BIGGEST PROBLEM!

(Bitter sarcasm OFF.)

[pinkstarburst]

5. It would be incredibly stupid to ban tiktok

[PortTack]

6. Yes it would...since 150 million users on TikTok comprise a huge portion of gen Z and

Millennial voters!

[Igel]

8. Like it's incredibly stupid

to provide potential foes with a hell of a lot of rope.

"The capitalists will sell us the rope with which to hang them," allegedly said Lenin.

I've seriously respected the rare juror who said, "I think this decision should go this way, in favor of the defendant. But I have to say that case law and the text of the law mandates I find in favor of the plaintiff. That said, I decide this on the basis of case law and statute."

When a judge really dislikes his/her decision because it's morally offensive *but* in line with case law and the textual basis of the law, it means that judge democracy.

Any democratic politician should be willing, in a republic, to do what's best for the nation even if a lot of people are against it because what's more important--the republic or the chances of being re-elected?

Those things are not always the same. "What's best for the republic is what the majority wants." Yeah, like hell. Reps might be wrong, but the majority is fairly often not-right. They lack the necessary information, education, time for analysis that those appointed to know, be trained, and have the time and be able to draw on expertise have. (Otherwise we'd have fought WWII by referendum.)

[WarGamer]

7. I would certainly hope our electoral fortunes don't rely on fucking TikTok.

[Celerity]

9. TikTok, which has about 150 million users in the United States, has become a mainstay in many

people’s lives. The wildly successful algorithm serves videos to multitudes of people who might not otherwise view them, propelling nobodies to stardom and turning small businesses into profit machines. The app, which attracted more visitors than Google last year, has done much to reshape American culture, especially for younger generations.

“Ditching something that has proven to be incredibly helpful to winning elections is like shooting yourself in the foot,” said Aidan Kohn-Murphy, the 19-year-old founder of Gen-Z for Change, a coalition of creators formerly known as TikTok for Biden.

Kohn-Murphy and Victor Shi, strategy director for Voters of Tomorrow, a group also aimed at Gen Z, said numerous Democratic campaigns have expressed interest in cultivating relationships with creators of TikTok content, building on the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. “For any campaign that wants to get their message out to young people, I don’t think you can do that without TikTok,” Shi said.

That’s where the potential problems come in for Democrats, whose reliance on younger voters has only become greater with the ascendance of politically potent issues such as abortion rights, climate change, racial equity and gun control.