On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Inside Politics,” CNN Chief National Security Analyst Jim Sciutto stated that while he’s “sure” President Joe Biden “has all the security measures necessary so that they’re not stealing data from him by the fact that he has a campaign account on” TikTok, Biden using TikTok despite banning it on government devices and warning people about its dangers is “cognitive dissonance” on the part of the President.
Host Dana Bash asked, “[W]hat about the notion of him being on TikTok, which, of course, his government says is a national security risk because of China?”
Scuitto responded, “For years, folks I know in the intelligence world have told me, just personally, don’t go on TikTok, it is a massive Chinese data-gathering operation, and don’t have your children go on TikTok. I’ve heard that for years. And you’ve heard the public pronouncements of the connections and how exactly this could work. So, it’s not insignificant that the President [is] basically making a political calculation here that this is a great way to get in touch with young voters. He’s on TikTok. Now, of course, I’m sure he has all the security measures necessary so that they’re not stealing data from him by the fact that he has a campaign account on there. But in terms of messaging to the American people, saying, this is a threat, but by the way, you might see a few campaign ads from me on there is notable.”
Bash then stated, “I’m glad you said that, because I want to underscore, this is Joe Biden’s campaign. The federal government isn’t allowed to have TikTok, for that reason.”
Sciutto then said, “But in terms of public messaging, it’s a notable, cognitive dissonance, we’ll call it.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
