Congressman Jeff Jacksons latest TikTok video starts simply: I apologize.
Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that could ultimately ban TikTok from the US.
For many, it turned Jackson into enemy number one.
Screenshot: TikTok / Gizmodo
Now, Jackson deleted a video celebrating the bill and is desperately trying to salvage his online reputation.
And I get it.
If I were in your shoes, I would probably feel the same way.
The part I didnt like is the part that threatens a ban.
Half the country is on this app.
It has become a force for good in the lives of millions of people, Jackson said.
I just dont think theres any real chance of a ban.
I still believe that, but maybe I got that balance wrong.
The video backfired, and after widespread criticism, Jackson pulled it off of TikTok.
After the TikTok bill passed, Jackson lost hundreds of thousands of followers.
If the bill navigated all of those hurdles, the app would find many eager to buy it.
All of that makes a ban unlikely.
However, a ban is still a very real threat.
The real problem is the argument behind the war on TikTok.
TikTok maintains that it operates independently and has never shared user data with the Chinese government.
Some, like Jackson, said these classified hearings demonstrated the need for action.
I have information about this app that isnt public, Jackson said in his video.
Ive been a part of some briefings about this app that were genuinely alarming.
My thinking was I could reconcile those two things by making a video that said Hey heres the situation.
And that was a total disaster.
I screwed this up.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
The Funniest Memes About JD Vance Killing the Pope
“Sowwy I made you dead.”
How long it will last is an open question.
Meta Pissed Off Everyone With Poorly Redacted Docs
Meta is being very transparent on accident.
