Biden-affiliated nonprofit group Building Back Together launched a TikTok account called @buildingbacktogether on Wednesday, The Verge reports. The group's account made its first post on Wednesday morning: a “how it started/how it’s going” montage of campaign highlights set to Abba music.
Building Back Together, which is led by a team of former Biden 2020 campaign staff and Democratic Party operatives, promotes the Biden administration’s political agenda. The group, launched in early 2021, already has the @buildingbacktogether handle on Instagram. Its first post dates to April 2021, and it currently has just over 1,000 followers and averages a few dozen likes per post — rather measly engagement for a large lobbying group.
The Biden White House has been friendly to TikTok. TikTok creators received a briefing on the war in Ukraine from Press Secretary Jen Psaki and members of the National Security Council. Months before, the White House recruited influencers to promote vaccination. A video from creator Benny Drama takes place inside the White House and features a Jen Psaki cameo.
TikTok politics —
Politicians (left-leaning politicians, in particular) have turned to TikTok to mobilize young voters. Tim Ryan, a Democratic representative from Ohio, told The New York Times that after his daughter caught him up to speed on the culture of TikTok, he decided to use the app to reach constituents.
He shares select floor speeches and jokes, already amassing over 100,000 followers. Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer posts economic updates and goofy wardrobe try-ons with the username @biggretchwhitmer. The New York Times reports that “many of the politicians active on TikTok are Democrats or left-leaning independents, including Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and the mayors of two of America’s largest cities, Lori Lightfoot and Eric Adams.”
No political ads —
Building Back Better can post, but it can’t pay to promote its videos. TikTok’s policy prohibits political ads that “reference, promote or oppose a candidate for public office, current or former political leader, political party, or political organization” or attempt to influence politics.
