The younger generation, known as Gen Z, is facing challenges in expressing their political views on social media platforms. The potential ban of TikTok and Instagram’s decision to reduce the visibility of political content are raising worries among young creators. President Joe Biden recently signed a bill that could lead to the banning of TikTok in the U.S. if its parent company ByteDance does not sell the platform. This could greatly limit Gen Z’s ability to access political news and information, as highlighted by young political content creators.
Emma Mont, a political content creator, expressed concern about the significant number of 18- to 24-year-olds who rely on TikTok for information on local elections. Pew Research Center data shows that approximately one-third of American adults aged 18 to 29 frequently use TikTok as a source of news.
Mont believes that the content he creates will not only affect those sharing information, but also those who are receiving it. He creates content with the knowledge that there are viewers who may be learning about important topics for the first time, such as Roe v. Wade.
Many content creators find it challenging to move away from TikTok, but it is not impossible. A lot of creators already have followers on multiple platforms instead of relying solely on one, which helps them prepare for situations like this where a platform may shut down (like Vine did).
Instagram Reels is seen as a viable option for those looking for a TikTok alternative, but for political content creators, it falls short. Starting in March, Instagram began filtering out political content from users who are not already followed by the viewer. This makes it extremely difficult for political creators and activists to expand their reach to a larger audience.
Pratika Katiyar, a student at Northeastern University and a research assistant at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, expressed disbelief at the idea of Instagram restricting political content. She believes this restriction is unnecessary and may lead users to abandon the platform.
Before Instagram updated its policies, users claimed that their posts discussing the conflict in Gaza were being hidden. Meta’s communications director, Andy Stone, dismissed these complaints as a technical issue unrelated to the content of the posts.
Katiyar shared with TechCrunch that she frequently shares updates about politics and her work on her Instagram story. She expressed that it has become increasingly challenging to gain visibility on the platform. Additionally, she is concerned about the limitations on political content, which she believes is making it even more difficult for her posts to be seen.
Many creators have been expressing complaints about these issues so frequently that Instagram leader Adam Mosseri decided to speak about it on Threads.
Mosseri explained that instead of blaming the algorithm, it is important to recognize that ranking and recommendations actually result in more posts being shown to people.
Legislators are strong in their stance that this legislation does not constitute a prohibition. Instead, they argue that it involves the compulsory separation of TikTok from its Chinese owner. However, ByteDance may face challenges in locating an American company capable of purchasing TikTok without triggering antitrust worries. Additionally, even if a buyer is found, the Chinese government retains the authority to prevent a compulsory sale.
Throughout this time, President Biden’s campaign for reelection is consistently sharing several TikTok videos every day, gaining more than 300,000 followers since starting the account in February.
Annie Silkaitis, a TikTok creator, expressed her surprise at Biden signing the law. She believes it will be a major talking point this year, as his campaign was on the app while he is now attempting to either ban it or make it sell. She finds this contradictory and hypocritical.
A challenge for Biden’s campaign
Biden’s choice to establish a presence on TikTok is logical because it is a platform popular among over 170 million Americans, particularly younger voters who have historically low voter turnout. However, Biden’s involvement in the app, which he is looking to ban, is not sitting well with users.
Mont expressed that using TikTok for campaigning is a smart decision, but believes that removing it could harm the campaign. He questioned how one can reconcile the decision to ban TikTok with the fact that it has been effective for the campaign.
If TikTok is banned, it will not be taken off app stores until well after Election Day. According to the bill signed by Biden, ByteDance has nine months to sell off TikTok, with a potential 90-day extension. Additionally, TikTok is likely to challenge the legislation in court.
Biden’s position on TikTok could still have consequences for him in the November election.
After the ban on TikTok, one of the main platforms for news and self-expression for Gen Z has been removed. This has caused concern because it was a place where people felt their opinions mattered. The speaker, Katiyar, believes this could affect the upcoming election and may discourage people from voting. It seems like the concerns of the youth are not being heard at the moment.
According to a survey conducted by Harvard Youth Poll, it is anticipated that there will be a decrease in voter participation among individuals aged 18 to 29 in the 2024 election compared to the turnout seen in 2020.
This decision not only harms Biden’s ability to win over young voters, but it also means he is missing out on the opportunity to leverage the influence of the internet. Even though the Biden campaign has been holding discussions with content creators, the president’s ability to reach a wide audience online may be restricted if digital activists are not fully engaged in supporting his campaign.
The power of social media can have a significant impact on election outcomes. In the 2020 election, teenagers from all over the country came together online to support Senator Ed Markey, calling themselves the “Markeyverse.” Despite not being able to vote in the Massachusetts Senate race, these young supporters rallied behind Senator Markey for his strong stance on addressing climate change. Through their network of fan accounts, they played a key role in helping Senator Markey defeat his opponent, Representative Joe Kennedy III.
Mont explained that involving young people in online platforms in a manner that resonates with them can generate excitement for political contests that they may not have previously been interested in.
However, it is unlikely that TikTok users will show support for Biden in a manner similar to what was seen in the Markeyverse.
Many content creators are feeling frustrated because they do not have enough information about why TikTok is facing a potential ban. The Senate has been involved in private discussions about TikTok’s impact on national security, but very little of this information has been shared in public hearings. These hearings have highlighted the lack of understanding our lawmakers have about the internet, as shown by a question from Representative Richard Hudson to TikTok’s CEO about accessing Wi-Fi.
Mont expressed that if President Biden were to announce that China is purposefully adding certain content to users’ TikTok feeds, they would appreciate the information. Mont also pointed out the skepticism around claims of not understanding algorithms, stating that there are many algorithms that we don’t fully comprehend. As a political content creator, Mont’s main concern is the amount of data that individuals like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have access to.
It is uncertain when creators will receive any answers. Currently, they are stuck in a state of uncertainty.
Silkaitis expressed concern about an issue that they anticipate discussing daily until a resolution is reached, which may not occur for another year or two. They find the prospect of a prolonged process concerning.
President Biden has approved a bill that would prohibit TikTok from operating if its parent company, ByteDance, does not sell the app.