President Biden’s campaign is facing challenges in reaching predominantly younger voters on TikTok, where they have been polling poorly. Joining TikTok last month was seen as an effort to communicate with voters under 30, who may be unaware of his administration’s accomplishments. However, navigating the platform, with its more than 150 million users, has brought up issues plaguing Biden’s re-election bid, including disillusioned voters averse to politics, concerns about his age, and outrage over the death toll in Gaza. Trump supporters are also active on the app, and Biden’s administration has argued that it poses a national security threat.
The campaign has posted dozens of videos on TikTok, showcasing President Biden at retail stops and answering questions about the Super Bowl, among other things. Many posts center on former President Trump in an effort to re-engage voters who supported him in 2020. User commentary on these posts often mocks the president, receiving more views than the original content. The campaign has tried to use TikTok to address voter concerns and plans to deploy TikTok creators to promote its message, despite political activity being discouraged on the platform.
Young people on TikTok have been upset by what they see as American complicity in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian users frequently comment on Mr. Biden’s posts on the app, criticizing his support for Israel. The “Gen Z for Change” account, previously created to promote Biden’s 2020 bid, now posts critical videos of the president to its 1.7 million followers. Despite creators supporting Mr. Biden, like Harry Sisson, pushing back against negative comments and videos attacking him, there are concerns that appealing to young voters requires a policy shift on issues like Gaza.
Republican digital strategist Eric Wilson highlighted the digital challenge for both presidential campaigns in 2022: combating voter apathy and ensuring supporters turn out to vote. More Republicans, especially young and Trump-aligned Republicans, are using TikTok, which poses a challenge for Biden’s supporters. Influencers like Emily Koh, who partner with groups promoting progressive causes, have expressed disappointment with Mr. Biden’s stances on TikTok legislation and the Gaza war. They believe that in addition to utilizing social media platforms effectively, the administration also needs to respond to the concerns of constituents.
The TikTok landscape has changed significantly since the last presidential election, with the app becoming a dominant source for news and political discourse. Despite the challenges faced by the Biden campaign in reaching young voters on the platform, efforts are being made to engage with TikTok creators and utilize the app to communicate with voters in an increasingly fragmented media environment. The success of using TikTok to navigate complex issues like Gaza and voter concerns remains to be seen, as the administration tries to appeal to younger voters and combat voter apathy in a politically fraught environment.
