Threats in Washington to ban TikTok have grown quieter of late — and a few insiders say the Chinese-owned app’s clever courting of conservatives is a part of the rationale.
After a dramatic spring wherein calls to ban TikTok on US soil reached a fever pitch — made worse by a disastrous Congressional testimony from CEO Shou Zi Chew — the fervor died down this summer.
At the identical time, TikTok has launched an ad campaign that portrays the video-sharing app as a platform that has helped US veterans and small business owners.
One spot that aired through the GOP presidential debate features 81-year-old “Patriotic Kenny,” who has used TikTok to raise hundreds of dollars for elderly vets to get recent mobility scooters.
The ad, entitled “Changing lives, one scooter at a time,” reportedly raised enough money for 50 scooters in 24 hours. It ends with Kenny’s friend saying, “None of this could’ve happened without TikTok.”
One irritated Republican strategist admitted that “the ads have clearly been effective,” noting that they’ve rankled many lawmakers who’ve previously been critical of the app.
![Capitol building in DC](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/tiktok-banned_.gif?w=600)
The GOP strategist said he believes a TikTok ban has stalled in Congress for several other reasons including spending fights and the looming 2024 election.
Congressional sources also note that multiple bills to ban TikTok were being floated, meaning there was no single bill for lawmakers to get behind – and that Republicans have since gotten caught up with sexier political issues like investigating Joe Biden.
“For those who can weather the storm, people get distracted,” a source close to the legislative process told On The Money. “It turns right into a game of just running out the clock.”
TikTok’s high-paid political advisors within the US — who presumably are behind the US veteran ads, amongst other tactics — include two former higher-ups within the Obama administration, David Plouffe and Jim Messina.
TikTok also has tapped former Disney comms chief Zenia Mucha.
Former Trump administration official Tony Sayegh even briefly advised the corporate on strategy, according to a report.
One other source said the spin doctors even have been making overtures to various journalists and media outlets about how the app is helping average Americans.
![TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies in March.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/NYPICHPDPICT000010796041.jpg?w=1024)
Meanwhile, some GOP insiders say they fear Republicans can be put at an obstacle by attacking TikTok.
“In some unspecified time in the future, Republicans are going to have to engage with the TikTok audience, or allow Democrats to have a political and messaging and outreach monopoly,” the GOP strategist opined.
Democrats have a TikTok advantage,” the strategist added. “The app is very fashionable and reached hundreds of thousands of Americans, especially young voters. There is not an elected Republican using TikTok without delay, partially due to national security risk with China.”
Among the many latter is US Sen. Marco Rubio, who hasn’t modified his fierce stance against the app, despite admitting previously his kids previously have caught flak from schoolmates over his campaign.
“TikTok’s corporate image consultants are desperately trying to rebrand the Chinese-controlled app after a series of scandals that include spying on American journalists, storing Americans’ data in China, interfering in our elections, and lying to Congress,” Rubio told On The Money, asked in regards to the app’s latest ad blitz.
“But no amount of spin can hide the risks posed by the Chinese Communist Party controlling an app utilized by one-in-three Americans.”
TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Individually, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has spent greater than $13 million on its lobbying efforts since 2019 alone, according to an evaluation by Open Secrets in February.