From Ban Talks to TikTok
After years of national security concerns, legal battles and efforts in Washington to restrict TikTok, one federal agency is now joining the platform.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially launched its own TikTok account.
In the agency’s first video, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins welcomes viewers to USDA headquarters and gives them a quick glimpse inside her office, where an FFA pillow can be seen resting on a couch in the background.
The account’s debut marks a notable about-face from just a few years ago, when TikTok was at the center of efforts to remove the app from government devices over concerns about its Chinese ownership. Changes to the app’s ownership structure have since led the Justice Department to conclude that the federal government-device ban no longer applies to the current U.S. version of TikTok, while still allowing agencies to set their own workplace policies.
It remains to be seen what role TikTok will play in USDA’s communications strategy, but for now, the department has officially added the social media platform to its growing list of ways to communicate with the public. You can find them under USDAGov.
