Young Voices in Vogue: Political Campaigning in The Age of Social Media
As more members of Generation Z become eligible to vote, politicians have been forced to reconsider the ways in which they campaign. In this new age of social media, it is important for political figures to market themselves to young people in a way that appeals to them- Following trends, collaborating with influencers, receiving celebrity endorsements, and creating a prominent social media presence are some of the ways politicians have attempted to reach younger audiences.
The cultural phenomenon, “Tiktok,” has been one of the most important factors of political campaigning in 2024. With its 170 million American users, the app holds a high degree of influence on the nation. Kamala Harris has taken the Tiktok world by storm, using popular songs, collaborating with politically outspoken celebrities, and participating in online trends (‘Brat Summer,’ for example). The Trump Administration has also recently begun to create Tiktok content, despite the republican candidate’s previous plans to have the application banned.
In the people they choose to support, Generation Z looks for relatability above all else. Cognizant of this fact, politicians use social media trends and memes to gain traction with young voters. But their chosen political alignments go beyond politicians' ability to understand silly Tiktok trends- Gen Z is statistically shown to care most about social responsibility, environmental issues, and political activism- and they want to support candidates whose beliefs and policies align with their own.
Controversially, young people often look to influencers and celebrities to back their own political alignments. Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Bryce Hall, Logan Paul, etc. are among the myriad of celebrities that have chosen to endorse a particular presidential candidate. Regardless of their beliefs, it is important to avoid thoughtless compliance with the political ideas of unqualified celebrities; as American citizens, we must do our due diligence in interpreting the current political climate through our own individualized perception.
Gen Z is known to be outspoken and blunt when discussing the issues they feel passionate about; As 41 million members of Gen Z will be eligible to vote in the 2024 presidential election, it's no surprise that politicians have capitalized on this. According to CNN, the Harris campaign has repeatedly used direct, yet unserious language to uplift support for the Harris-Walz campaign. Most notably, Tim Walz referred to republicans as “creepy and, yes, just weird as hell,” in a TV interview in July. As evidenced by the popularity of this quote on social media, Gen Z appreciates the vice presidential candidates ability to almost belittle their opponents with simple, cutting language.
Although social media makes it easier for politicians to reach young voters directly, algorithms and data collection create a breeding ground for confirmation bias. Users are fed content that reinforce the ideas they already believe, regardless of whether those ideas are factual.
As American politicians begin to understand more about new media and how it changes Gen Z’s worldview, social media has proven to be an increasingly useful tool in the world of political advertising. However, we must consider the role that social media plays in increasing polarization, spreading fake news, and reinforcing hateful behavior. It is imperative that we diversify our media consumption and take action against locking ourselves in a social media- fuelled echochamber.
Strike Out,
Mia Cadaret
Mia Cadaret is a Writer for Strike Magazine Chattanooga. You can find her at miacadaret@gmail.com or on Instagram @miacadaret
