Young Voters Test Biden’s Loyalty as He Navigates TikTok, Alaska Drilling and Student Debt

　　President Joe Biden's recent actions on TikTok ownership, Alaskan oil drilling, and student loan debt are testing the loyalty of young voters, a group that has largely supported him.

　　Youth Turnout and Biden's Victories

　　Youth turnout surged in the three elections since Donald Trump's 2016 presidential victory, helping Biden win swing states in 2020, secure a Democratic Senate seat in 2022, and mitigate potential House losses.

　　Biden's Approval Among Young Liberals

　　However, the 80-year-old president has never been the top choice for young liberals seeking a new generation of American leadership. As Biden prepares for a potential reelection campaign, a TikTok ban and the Alaska drilling could hinder his chances.

　　Student Loan Debt Relief and Legal Challenges

　　Meanwhile, Biden's plan to eliminate billions of dollars in student loan debt faces legal challenges in the Supreme Court. This initiative, announced before last year's midterms, was an attempt to fulfill a promise made during his 2020 Democratic primary campaign.

　　The Risk of Low Voter Turnout

　　The risk for Biden is not that young left-of-center voters will switch to the Republican Party, but rather that they will abstain from voting altogether.

　　Mark Buehlmann, a 20-year-old Arizona State University student, expressed his dissatisfaction with Biden and indicated he might not vote if Biden is the Democratic nominee. He believes Biden lacks the ability to inspire and unite the Democratic voter base.

　　TikTok and Its Popularity

　　TikTok allows users, including 150 million in the United States, to post short, creative videos. Its algorithm effectively tailors content to users' interests, making it highly popular, particularly among young people seeking entertainment and community.

　　Concerns About TikTok's Ownership and Data Security

　　Western governments are increasingly concerned that TikTok's owner, ByteDance, based in Beijing, could share browsing history or other user data with the Chinese government or promote propaganda and disinformation. The U.S. and other nations have banned TikTok from government-owned devices, as have several states.

　　Potential TikTok Ban and Biden's Response

　　The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, part of Biden's Treasury Department, has threatened to ban TikTok if ByteDance doesn't sell its stake in the app, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

　　Trump attempted to ban TikTok in 2020, but the move was blocked in court and later rescinded when Biden took office and ordered an in-depth study of the issue.

　　ByteDance claims to be addressing security concerns and plans to route traffic through servers owned by Oracle, a Silicon Valley-based tech company.

　　The Biden administration insists that political considerations are not influencing the ongoing national security review, but they are aware of the potential impact.

　　Political Pressures and Concerns

　　Both political parties have adopted tougher economic and security stances on China's rise, and Biden faces increasing pressure from GOP lawmakers to take action against TikTok.

　　Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expressed concern that a TikTok ban could result in the loss of young voters under 35.

　　The Biden White House and his likely reelection campaign are aware of the app's massive domestic reach and demographic skew toward Democratic-leaning younger voters.

　　Support for TikTok and Concerns Over a Ban

　　Representative Jamaal Bowman, a progressive New York Democrat popular on the left, held a news conference with TikTok creators who have built popular and profitable channels on the social network "in support of free expression."

　　Lawmakers grilled TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over data security and harmful content during a tense House committee hearing. Chew emphasized the app's prioritization of user safety and argued against a ban based on its Chinese connections.

　　Interviews with young people at Arizona State University, a key contributor to Biden's narrow victory in the state, revealed that while a TikTok ban might be annoying or inevitable, it wouldn't change their views of the president.

　　Many young people believe that another app will emerge to capture their attention if TikTok disappears.

　　The Bipartisan Issue of China

　　Ginny Xu, a 20-year-old chemical engineering student, views the TikTok ban as a bipartisan issue related to "safety" from China. She expressed disappointment over losing access to TikTok but indicated that it wouldn't deter her from voting for Biden if there were no better Democratic choice.

　　Biden's Record on Young People's Interests

　　Jack Lobel, spokesperson for Voters of Tomorrow, emphasizes that Biden has a strong record of supporting young people's interests, including student loan debt relief, abortion rights, climate spending, and gun violence legislation.

　　Young Voters as a Potential Secret Weapon

　　Lobel sees young voters as a potential secret weapon for Democrats, particu