TikTok has announced a new partnership with the British Olympic and Paralympic teams, which will see British athletes using the app to connect with fans around and during the upcoming Games.
As explained by TikTok:
“The partnership aims to help Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes share their unique journeys, connect with new audiences and grow their personal fanbase through TikTok, while encouraging support for the entire teams across the UK in the lead up to Paris 2024.”
The initiative will see TikTok facilitate content workshops for hundreds of Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes ahead of the Games, providing valuable media training and content creation guidance, aimed at improving their use of TikTok specifically.
In addition to skills workshops, TikTok will also be running purpose-built content creation spaces at both the Team GB House and the ParalympicsGB House, providing another way to help connect athletes with their supporters in the app.
It’s an interesting collaboration, especially considering the UK Government’s ongoing concerns around the potential security risks of TikTok use.
Already, TikTok has been banned from government-owned devices in the region, based on a Cabinet Office Ministers’ security review, which found that there was reason to be concerned about the vulnerability of sensitive information in the app, as it could be accessed by third parties.
The app is currently under further review by the National Cyber Security Centre, which could see even more restrictions enacted in future.
Yet, at the same time, TikTok does provide a valuable link to younger demographic groups, which will likely make it a key driver of engagement, and sentiment, around the Olympics.
I mean, the latter is a part of the broader concern around the app, that it can be used to manipulate users based on its popularity. But the UK Olympic teams clearly feel safe in using the app, and boosting their reach among a new generation of sports fans.
It’ll be interesting to see if other nations also look to facilitate similar agreements, with the value of TikTok’s reach potentially outweighing lingering concerns. Indeed, just yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden also posted to the app for the first time, which could suggest that the Biden campaign will be looking to utilize TikTok to enhance its messaging with younger voters.
That’s despite the U.S. Government still weighing a full ban of the app due to concerns about its links to the Chinese Government.
It’s a bit of mixed messaging as to the actual risks posed, but seemingly, even government agencies are comfortable using the app, within certain limits.
