TikTok’s favorite congressman Jeff Jackson faces backlash after he supports TikTok’s ban bill

Rep. Jeff Jackson, a Democratic congressman from North Carolina, experienced a significant drop in his TikTok followers, losing over 100,000 virtually overnight after voting to ban the app. Despite the bill passing with 352 votes, many TikTok users felt betrayed by Jackson’s decision, viewing it as a unique betrayal considering his previous popularity on the platform. In a video posted on X, Jackson attempted to justify his vote by expressing concerns about China’s national security laws and the potential influence of the Chinese government over TikTok’s algorithms and American politics. He reassured viewers that he believes TikTok will not be banned but may instead be sold for billions of dollars and continue operating. However, TikTok users were not satisfied with his explanation, labeling him a hypocrite in the comments section of his recent videos.

The best-case scenario for TikTok is that it continues to operate but is no longer owned – and potentially controlled – by an adversarial country. pic.twitter.com/JsXHliZACJ

— Rep. Jeff Jackson (@JeffJacksonNC) March 13, 2024

Jackson has previously highlighted TikTok as a tool for educating constituents about the legislative process and promoting transparency. Despite the White House’s prohibition on federal employees, including members of Congress, from using TikTok on their government-issued phones, Jackson maintains the app on a separate personal device. Last April, he expressed a preference for ByteDance to sell TikTok rather than see it banned, allowing him and his constituents to continue using it.

Despite the backlash and loss of followers, Jackson remains the most-followed member of Congress on TikTok, and he continues to post on the platform. However, his posts now receive criticism and negative comments from users who disagree with his stance on the app’s ban.

Jackson has since released an apology video explaining why he decided to support the bill.

@jeffjacksonnc Rep. Jeff Jackson (NC): TikTok #politics #fyp #nc #charlotte #raleigh #greensboro #durham ♬ original sound – Jeff Jackson

@noahglenncarter An update on Jeff Jackson. Hes losing everything right now because he boted yes #keeptiktok #jeffjackson #tiktokban #foryou ♬ Stargazing (Slowed + Reverb) – Marcelo De Carvalho