According to the Washington Post, US President Joe Biden is relying on top TikTok influencers to counter Russian misinformation on the Ukraine conflict. The White House had a Zoom conversation with 30 digital creators who have been chronicling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on social media channels such as TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter on Thursday, according to the US-based daily.
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine began on February 24, TikTok users in Russia and Ukraine have been at the forefront of disseminating information. They’ve been sharing films of the aftermath of bombings and the impact of economic sanctions regularly.
“The material was similar to that given in traditional briefing calls to reporters over the last week,” the official said.
The gathering elicited mixed reactions
The gathering elicited mixed reactions, with some TikTok producers feeling better qualified to answer their fans’ questions as an outcome of their attendance. However, according to the Washington Post; Ukrainian-born writer and TikTok influencer Jules Suzdaltsev mistook the call for a “press briefing for kindergarteners.”
According to audio obtained by the Washington Post; Psaki also said on the call that Russia hacked the 2016 election when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump. ‘if you look back at 2014, and frankly even 2016 when Russia invaded Ukraine; and then in 2016, when they, you know, of course, hacked our election here; we did not do that, we did not declassify information, she said.
Since President Biden’s inauguration, the council has endeavored to work with TikTok producers and celebrities; to disseminate various messages, including encouraging Americans to get COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots.
