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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 8 april 2024
Some states are seeking to restrict TikTok. That doesn’t mean their
governors aren’t using it
By BROOKE SCHULTZ But even as the app faces dates such as Ramaswamy,
Associated Press/Report for scrutiny and bans, gover- due to his young age and
America nors and state agencies new-generation agenda,”
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — — and even President Joe Victoria Carlson, a spokes-
POV: You’re on TikTok, and Biden — are still using the person for the George
so is your governor — even app to promote their initia- Washington University Col-
as your Legislature consid- tives and expand their vot- lege Republicans, told CBS
ers banning the app from ing pool. Their target is the News in September.
state-owned devices and youth vote, or the people In Michigan, the app was
networks. who largely make up the banned in March 2023
Efforts to ban TikTok over app’s U.S. user base of 170 from government devic-
security concerns about million. es — with certain excep-
China’s influence through Pennsylvania Gov. Josh tions, like Democratic Gov.
the platform have picked Shapiro, a Democrat, is Gretchen Whitmer’s pro-
up steam in the past year a prolific poster, with his motional account, which
in state legislatures, with efforts beginning on the has brought cute dog vid-
an expansive ban even campaign trail through a Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro arrives in Blue Bell, Pa., Friday, eos, her March Madness
proposed by Congress. personal account. The first- Jan. 5, 2024. Associated Press bracket and news about
In Pennsylvania, forward termer is a rising star in the her initiatives to her roughly
movement on a bill that Democratic Party and is His careful messaging ex- trends, breaking down as- 245,000 followers.
first unanimously passed among governors building tends to his official gover- pects of his budget propos- In New Jersey, a govern-
the state Senate last year national profiles and pos- nor account on TikTok. All al, and even taking a dig at ment-affiliated app posts
could send legislation to sibly positioning themselves colored with his priorities Texas via a Beyoncé song. jokes and memes. An ex-
the Democratic governor’s for a 2028 run for the White and stances, videos have Other governors use TikTok emption in New Jersey’s
desk imminently. House. him participating in viral accounts — among veri- law banning TikTok from
fied accounts, only Demo- government devices allows
crats — even in states that for posts from non-state net-
have banned the app from works, with permission. Oth-
state devices and net- er government accounts
works. across the country have
It isn’t surprising that politi- touted their state parks to
cians do use TikTok so much, drive tourism, events and
said Anupam Chander, vis- small businesses.
iting scholar at the Institute In Pennsylvania, you have
for Rebooting Social Media Shapiro and his steaming
at Harvard University. It’s ‘Get S—t Done’ mug of
more surprising that they tea — a nod to his edgy
don’t. tagline — or slightly shaky
Such outreach draws its lin- footage as he records him-
eage to President Franklin self thanking teachers as his
Roosevelt’s fireside chats, kids head back to school.
when Depression-era As a play on the popu-
Americans would gather lar “point of view” videos
around the radio to hear where creators set up a
his voice. More recently, scenario, Shapiro makes a
social media has been gal- concerned face with the
vanized in elections, like overlaid text “POV: When
former President Barack extremists try to stop legal
Obama on Facebook in votes from counting.”
2008, or former President “The governor believes,
Donald Trump on Twitter, and this administration be-
now X, in 2016. lieves, that there should
“This is an app that can be no wrong door to ac-
be very personal. You can cessing government,” said
share your walk to the Sen- Manuel Bonder, Shapiro’s
ate chambers or your exhil- spokesperson.
aration as a vote is passed. TikTok is part of that land-
Or your disappointment scape, he said. The admin-
when a vote fails,” he said. istration has a phone dedi-
“This is a way to reach peo- cated only to making Tik-
ple in a very personal way.” Toks, off of state Wi-Fi, with
Former GOP presidential no other apps on it, Bonder
candidate Vivek Ramas- said.
wamy made early and, A TikTok spokesperson
well, liberal use of TikTok wouldn’t be quoted by
during his campaign, with name about legislation
one young Republican say- banning the app.
ing his social media pres- In 2022, researchers found
ence “made him popular.” more than 100 accounts
“A lot of younger voters for those running for
seem receptive to candi- Congress.q