How is Robert F Kennedy Jr. using the power of TikTok to snatch the youth vote from Trump and Biden? By Laia Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Election season is an intense and chaotic time for any country, and this is no exception in the United States of America. Although the 2024 referendum is still awaited, time is ticking, and the American people have already begun to set their minds on assessing the running candidates for this November. Trump and Biden are of course the two front runners, splitting people's loyalties in quite extreme ways at times along Republican and Democrat lines. Up and coming candidate Robert Kennedy Jr., however, has jumped straight into the race and has begun to make strong appearances across the media, advocating for his candidacy. And he is using controversial Chinese video service TikTok to do it. As the nephew of John F Kennedy, and more generally a member of one of America's most respected political families, Kennedy already has a path paved for success in his career, but in recent months he has found a new tactic to help him gain younger voters' interest and approval. Most TikTok users from the U.S. have likely seen one or more of his viral minute long videos, where he creates posts ranging from his campaign policies and beliefs, to interviews and podcast clips, and often even content of him interacting with citizens and working hands on projects. An influx of positive comments and replies have flooded social media applications, with younger audiences interacting heavily with the content. With the election still months away, we don't yet know what the outcomes will be, but what is sure is that Kennedy's campaign is making a statement- and one that has proven to be highly effective. A poll released showed that 34% of voters between the ages of 18-26 have shown favor for him, as opposed to Trump or Biden. The age demographic for TikTok users is mostly centered around the youth, with around two thirds being people between the ages of 18 and 34. It is often said that young people are one of the key foundations of society.'s progress. New generations have open minds that are both influential and easily influenced, and youth often brings in fresh perspectives and important insights that need to be conveyed to the wider society. Especially with the ever changing use of technology and social media, the needs and beliefs of young people have become increasingly prevalent across issues such as climate change, the justice system and the economy. This is why Kennedy's approach has been so successful, as it is empowering the youth by giving them sources, information and opportunities to share their thoughts on the very platform that has become such a central part of their everyday lives. TikTok, the sensation of an app that has gone viral around the world in recent years, has been a tool for information to be spread to each corner of the globe. Though social media has always posed a risk of misinformation and false news, it has also given voice and an opportunity for thousands to tell their stories. This can either be a threat to politicians or a gift. It simply depends on how they choose to use it. Humans have almost always associated experience and knowledge with age, giving the upper hand to older generations in political conversations and positions of authority, but this is beginning to change and Kennedy is proving it. By allowing younger audiences to feel engaged and acknowledged by his party, he is seemingly gaining rapid support for his candidacy and has quickly become a strong opponent to Trump and Biden, despite running as an independent party. This is not to suggest that he will win the 2024 election to become the President of the United States, but his efforts to connect with new and fresh minds is compelling and is most definitely changing the game, just as Obama's Yes We Can campaign inspired young voters in 2008.
1 Comment
Terry
29/4/2024 19:32:15
Thank you so much for this thought-provoking piece, Laia! The data you included in your article make such a good case for using social media platforms like TikTok to appeal to younger voters. Thank you for this great read!!
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