Video clip and questions on TikTok

More on the impact of media on voting behaviour

Interesting follow up to an earlier posting this week about the effect of social media. This time Ch4 news take a quick look at how the political parties are seeking to use TikTok given its widespread usage among young people. We know from previous election studies that age has essentially replaced class as the big divide in voting, as the younger a voter is, the more likely they are to vote Labour. That's if they vote at all, of course.

Questions:

1. Why have political leaders recently joined TikTok, targeting the Gen Z electorate?

2. Do you think it is a desperate scramble for the youth vote or a genuine effort to connect with younger voters?

3. Who do you believe is winning the TikTok war in terms of the election based on video views?

4. How important is breaking ground on the digital campaign trail for winning over the Gen Z electorate?

5. What tactics have Labour and the Conservatives used on TikTok to engage with voters?

6. How has the use of memes played a role in the election discourse on TikTok?

7. In what ways are political parties leveraging TikTok as a platform for reaching voters?

Correct answers:

1. Political leaders have joined TikTok to target the Gen Z electorate because up to 70% of 16 to 24-year-olds use social media as their main source of news.

2. It can be seen as a mix of both a desperate scramble for the youth vote and a genuine effort to connect with younger voters.

3. Based on video views, Labour has racked up almost 18 million views on their TikToks in the last 7 days, surpassing the Conservative party's 6 million views.

4. Breaking ground on the digital campaign trail is crucial for winning over the Gen Z electorate as social media is a primary source of information for this demographic.

5. Labour has used memes to mock the Conservative plans, while the Lib Dems launched themselves with a Peep Show sketch. The Conservatives have taken on a more earnest tone.

6. Memes have been used by both Labour and the Conservatives to make political points and engage with voters on TikTok.

7. Political parties are leveraging TikTok as a platform for reaching voters by creating engaging content, leveraging popular culture references, and adapting their messaging to appeal to a younger audience.

Wider discussion questions

1. Do you think political leaders using TikTok to target the Gen Z electorate is an effective strategy?
2. How important do you think social media presence is for political parties in modern elections?
3. Do you believe that the use of memes and humour in political campaigns can influence voters' opinions?
4. What impact do you think social media has on the political views and engagement of younger generations?
5. How do you think traditional political campaigning methods compare to the use of platforms like TikTok in reaching and engaging with voters?