On Friday, April 19, a parents’ rights organization led by former Trump administration officials announced that they will launch a new advertisement warning the public about the dangers of TikTok.
The American Parents Coalition disclosed that they will invest $500,000 in Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Montana to run television and digital ads.
The 30-second ad, titled “TikTok Nightmare,” describes the app’s algorithm as “every parent’s nightmare” and cites a study revealing that content related to eating disorders and self-harm has been viewed billions of times.
Alleigh Marré, the executive director of the coalition, stated in a press release, “TikTok’s algorithm is every parent’s nightmare; this app, owned by Chinese, promotes content advocating suicide, eating disorders, and other harmful tendencies.”
Marré, a former national spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services during the Trump administration, expressed concerns about the platform controlled by foreign entities targeting American children and posing a threat to both child and national security.
Coinciding with the ad release, House Republican leaders included legislation in a series of bills funding Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific allies that could ban TikTok’s operation in the U.S. if the Chinese owner, ByteDance, does not divest.
The House is expected to vote soon on the fate of TikTok.
In March of this year, the House passed a bill, potentially banning TikTok, with a vote of 352 to 65. President Biden indicated his willingness to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
Former President Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee in the November elections, appears to have differing views on the potential TikTok ban, despite his previous support for banning TikTok during his presidency.
Editor: Ye Ziwei