Washington:

US President Joe Biden’s debut on TikTok caused a stir, not least because the Chinese-owned social media platform is still officially considered a security risk by Washington.

The video, released during Super Bowl Sunday as part of the 81-year-old’s re-election campaign’s efforts to appeal to younger voters, featured quirky memes of the eagle-eyed Biden alter ego.

But Republicans criticized Biden, a Democrat, for using an app that is banned on U.S. federal government devices over concerns it could collect data for Beijing.

Even the White House acknowledged on Monday that it still has concerns about TikTok.

“There remain national security concerns about the use of TikTok on government devices, and the policy has not changed,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters after being asked repeatedly about the issue.

The White House said election rules bar it from making official comments on campaign matters, but more broadly it was aware of concerns that platforms like TikTok could spread disinformation.

“That’s our concern,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance and has been accused by numerous U.S. politicians of being a propaganda tool used by Beijing, which the company vehemently denies.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst said on X (formerly Twitter) that these concerns “have not stopped the Biden campaign from engaging in China’s dangerous propaganda applications,” referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa added: “The Biden campaign’s inclusion of TikTok sparked consternation after the White House banned its use on devices a year ago.”

– ‘Hello everyone’ –

Still, Biden’s campaign has made it clear that engaging with TikTok is worth it to win over young voters ahead of a potential clash with former Republican president and social media giant Donald Trump in November.

They are also counting on such social media posts to assuage voters’ concerns about Biden’s age, which have grown since a special counsel report last week described him as a “well-intentioned old man with a bad memory.”

A video posted to the @bidenhq campaign account on Sunday, titled “Haha hey guys,” lightheartedly discussed topics ranging from politics to the NFL championship game.

“If I told you, I’d be in trouble,” Biden joked when asked about a right-wing conspiracy theory that the game has been rigged and is being linked to Kansas City Chiefs star Traevo Skiles is dating pop star Taylor Swift who could use her fame to support Biden.

The video then flashed up to the “Dark Brandon” meme, an image of Biden with glowing red eyes and smiling face that Democrats have used to allude to superpowers.

“The president’s TikTok debut last night — which has been viewed more than 5 million times and counting — is proof positive,” Biden deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty said in a statement. It reflects our commitment and our success in finding new and innovative ways to reach voters.”

Jean-Pierre said this exploration of new media partly explains why Biden has held fewer news conferences than his predecessor — in his first three years, according to data from the University of California , Biden held 33 press conferences, while Barack Obama held 66 press conferences during the same period, and Trump held 52 press conferences during the same period. The American Presidency Project in Santa Barbara .

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)