White House officials informed TikTok and social media influencers about plans to cancel $7.4 billion in student loan debt for 277,000 borrowers before the official announcement was made. President Biden’s Domestic Policy Council members Neera Tanden and Viviann Anguiano let at least 30 Gen Z influencers know they were eligible for the debt write-off in a private meeting. Anguiano mentioned the administration’s opposition to the Supreme Court’s rejection of a previous effort to cancel student loan debt during this meeting.
TikTok users with large followings, including Harry Sisson and Vitus Shehar, were present at the meeting, but it is unknown if they or their peers had their student loans forgiven. The Education Department declared that it has approved student loan forgiveness for over 4 million borrowers, totaling $153 billion. Biden campaigned on forgiving various categories of student loans, including a minimum of $10,000 per borrower and all loans for those making under $125,000.
Upon taking office, Biden attempted to cancel $430 billion in student debt for 43 million borrowers, but the Supreme Court struck down this effort. Biden has implemented separate loan forgiveness plans that are currently being challenged in court, with one plan costing $475 billion over the next decade. Some lawmakers, such as Senator Bill Cassidy, criticize these moves as an election-year tactic and argue that they do not address the root issue of high education costs.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited Pennsylvania to promote loan forgiveness actions, including forgiving $20,000 in accrued interest for over 25 million student debtors. The White House has engaged with TikTokers and social media influencers to connect with younger Americans and boost support. Some influencers have advocated for Biden’s agenda on their platforms, while the administration supports legislation that could potentially impact social media platforms like TikTok.
The White House considered providing young netizens with their own briefing room in the executive mansion, showing their efforts to engage with young voters. Influencers like Harry Sisson and Daniel Mac have used their platforms to support the Biden administration. However, the administration’s support for legislation that would affect TikTok’s ownership may impact these outreach efforts if the platform is forced to divest from its parent company ByteDance. Biden continues to work on student loan forgiveness initiatives while facing opposition and criticism from lawmakers like Senator Bill Cassidy.
