Shortly before his visit to China, Chancellor Scholz opened a TikTok channel to reach younger people. A mistake, criticizes anti-discrimination commissioner Ataman in an interview with Report from Berlin.
Accompanied by a high-profile business delegation, the Chancellor arrived in China early this morning for a three-day visit. Shortly before his talks with the Chinese leadership, Olaf Scholz publicly opened his own appearance on the controversial Chinese platform TikTok this week.
A mistake, criticizes the Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination Ferda Ataman. She believes it is “the wrong strategy” and a mistake on the part of the Chancellor to open a channel on TikTok, said Ataman in an interview with the ARD broadcast report from Berlin. “As long as the TikTok platform and other platforms do not adhere to the rules and protect young people from discrimination, hate speech and do not take back or combat disinformation, it is not a platform for the state.”
Ataman fears appreciation of TikTok
Ataman had recently closed the Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) account at X for similar reasons. TikTok has particularly stood out in recent years because right-wing extremists are very widespread there, said the anti-discrimination commissioner: “When government agencies use social media, they enhance it. And you have to think very carefully about whether you want to do this “Upgrading is linked to demands, for example for more protection, which then also has to take place.”
The so-called “Digital Service Act” requires social network operators to ensure the protection of users. But this is not being implemented, criticizes Ataman. It is interesting that other countries like the USA are currently thinking about regulating TikTok more closely or even banning it, says Ataman.
“Not the right way”
Ataman does not want to accept the argument of the Federal Government spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, that they want to reach new target groups on TikTok with their own political content.
“I think it’s fundamentally welcome that both the federal government and parties are currently thinking about how they can communicate in a low-threshold way and how they can reach young people,” said Ataman. “I just think that funny videos on social media are not the right way. In my view, it has to be content that appeals to young people. That means you have to make policies that appeal to young people and think about the right to vote from the age of 16 , involve them and let them participate in politics.”
You can see more on this topic in the “Report from Berlin” on ARD today at 6 p.m.