A Liberal MP Who Staunchly Opposed TikTok Has Changed His Stance After Joining The App Himself

A Liberal MP who previously slammed TikTok is now on the platform as a content creator.

It honestly can be so weird seeing politicians do things to stay in trend or to reach out to younger gens. Every time it happens, it reminds me of Steve Busecmi‘s iconic meme, “How do you do, fellow kids?” Liberal Member for Ryde, Jordan Lane, is one of the latest Australian politicians to jump on TikTok despite warning people about its alleged connection to spyware.

In July 2020, Lane posted a Facebook video with text that reads, “Reminder that TikTok is Spyware.”

Lane’s video parodied TikTok, as you can see by the quirky hand gestures, text that popped up to the beat of the music, emojis, hammer and sickle logos and Winnie The Pooh, a character used to mock Chinese Communist Party President Xi Jinping.

Lane’s video was a direct message to then Labor Mayor, Federal Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale, who frequently posts on the app. It was also a response to all the hullabaloo surrounding the security concerns of TikTok in Australia.

@jeromelaxalempLots of questions about the budget from you in #Bennelong so I thought I’d put together some clips breaking down the points starting with #health. If you have more questions, please ask in comments and I’ll do my best to get them all answered 👇 #medicare #funding #gp #bulkbilling #budget #auspol♬ original sound – Jerome Laxale

Well, now, it is apparent that Lane is on the platform, backflipping on his previous thoughts on the app.

The TikTok account’s (@Jordanlaneryde) latest video — a tour of all the upgrades at Denistone train station to Beyoncé’s “Upgrade U” — has reached over 49.8k views.

@jordanlaneryde Our famous station is getting an upgrade 🚂 (@beyonce please bring renaissance to Sydney the beyhive is begging) #tiktok #fyp #nswpol #ryde #renaissance ♬ original sound – Jordan Lane MP – For Ryde

According to News.com.au, Lane claimed that he didn’t use the app on a government-issued device.

“My team use a private device completely separate from any official network to engage with young tech-savvy members of our community,” he said.

“I have consistently argued that the app has no place on official government phones – whether federal, state or local – that could be receiving sensitive briefings or confidential correspondence, and government ministers should be upfront about this risk if they’re using taxpayer-funded phones for that purpose.”

Earlier this year, the Australian attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, announced that TikTok would be prohibited on government devices. Many politicians, like Lane, are still using the app, including former NSW Premier Dominic PerrottetBob Katter and Jordon Steele.

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