2024-04-26 00:12:10
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants to meet young people “where they are.” And that’s why he’s now appearing on the TikTok platform.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck can now be seen with short videos on the TikTok portal. He can be found under the account name “Habeck & Team BMWK”, as the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced.
The new online presence is intended to provide information about the ministry’s topics, explain government actions and provide insights into the work of the minister and vice-chancellor, it said.
An excerpt from the press conference can also be seen as one of the first clips on the platform. It begins with a journalist asking why Habeck is represented “on the Chinese platform TikTok and not on Twitter” (now X).
Criticism and praise for Habeck in comments
Habeck answered journalists in Berlin that he takes the fears and concerns of the young generation seriously and referred to the recently published youth study. The corona pandemic, the world in turmoil and climate change have left their mark on the young generation. “And I would like to offer young people in particular an opportunity to talk to people wherever they are,” he explained. Currently, they seemed to be “mainly on TikTok.” This Thursday, Habeck wants to present himself for the first time in a TikTok Live, an online appearance with questions.
In another short video on the platform, Habeck welcomes his viewers: “So guys, I’m on this channel now too,” he says into the camera, “I’m very interested in what’s on your mind, what questions you have.”
The first reactions focused less on the new appearance and were generally criticism and praise. While some commentators called for “Habeck for Chancellor,” others called for his resignation. As of Thursday morning, his clip already had nearly 5,000 comments and more than 6,000 likes.
Law puts pressure on platform in the USA
In addition to Habeck, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach are also represented on TikTok. The platform is controversial because the Chinese operating company Bytedance is accused of having too close ties to the government in Beijing.
A law has just been passed in the USA after TikTok is asked to break away from its Chinese parent company and open an independent company in the USA. This means that TikTok is threatened with banishment from American app stores if the app is still owned by the China-based Bytedance Group in a year. The company wants to challenge the law in court.
The USA has been accusing Bytedance for years of misusing its video platform to spy on users in the service of the Chinese leadership. Politicians in Germany are also calling for tougher action against the app.
In the EU, the company is fighting with the authorities for other reasons. Under pressure from the European Commission due to suspected addiction risks for minors, the video platform TikTok temporarily suspended a controversial reward system. “We are voluntarily suspending the rewards feature in TikTok Lite while we address the concerns,” the company said on the online service X on Wednesday. At the beginning of the week, Brussels threatened to block the function in the EU.