TikTok as an Electoral Weapon:
M16 or Double-Edged Sword?
TikTok's power to influence decisions has been a hot topic for some time. In the context of presidential elections (both in Romania and globally), the focus is now on the platform's ability to influence their outcome. Surprises often lead us to hastily claim that TikTok could be a decisive factor. But is TikTok really the deciding factor, or just the stage where the show unfolds? Choosing a candidate, much like deciding to purchase a product, depends on a complex mix of social, emotional, and cognitive influences. Furthermore, TikTok's algorithms (and those of other platforms), partly a "black box," can amplify or disadvantage certain types of content, but they don't guarantee impact, which remains hard to measure.
The lesson from the USA: TikTok, an unpredictable weapon
In the USA, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris sought to increase their presence on TikTok in an attempt to reach younger voters.
Kamala Harris heavily relied on TikTok early on to attract voters, marking viral moments like her "coconut tree" speech (a sort of explanation for the phrase "you've fallen from the tree?") and indirect collaborations with influencers. However, her digital success did not translate into victory at the polls.
Trump made a strong comeback. After joining the platform in June, the Republican candidate posted videos with Adin Ross, a Generation Z streamer, and Logan Paul, an influencer and wrestler, both of whom have millions of followers.
If we look at the number of views, Harris managed to stay ahead of Trump in the lead-up to the elections. From September 1 to November 5, the Democrat gathered 865.69 million views on TikTok, surpassing Donald Trump, who had 634.6 million views on his official account during the same period.
However, even though Harris won the 18-29 age group, the difference in the 30-44 age category was minimal: 49% for Harris compared to 48% for Trump. TikTok amplified the visibility for the Democratic candidate, but economic and foreign policy messages, which were priorities for many voters, were not as prominently highlighted.
It is worth noting that Donald Trump supported banning TikTok during his previous term. However, it seems that, in the meantime, he has also discovered its power. The fate of TikTok in the U.S. has been uncertain since 2020 when Trump, then president, attempted to ban the app due to national security concerns. This led to four years of discussions between the app's Chinese owners and the U.S. government, with a possible ban scheduled to take effect one day before Trump’s inauguration in January.
However, Trump changed his mind and joined TikTok in June. He quickly gained more followers than Kamala Harris—14.6 million compared to her current 9.3 million.
The contrasting strategies of U.S. campaigns
Trump has diversified his appearances by engaging on platforms such as X, Truth Social, and popular podcasts, while also attracting a young male audience through his presence at UFC events. Harris, on the other hand, has focused more on TikTok-style content, including mashups and cultural videos. However, these popularity-driven strategies have not been enough. Just as brand popularity alone is insufficient without striking the most sensitive chords of the target audience—such as discounts or performance campaigns—the same applies in politics.
Overall, success on TikTok is unlikely to guarantee the conversion of engagement into votes. The platform's opaque algorithm creates "bubbles," making it difficult to assess the real and complete impact on a broad audience.
Kamala Harris's TikToks were creative but not sufficiently aligned with an on-the-ground organizing strategy, according to several political consultants. Josh Cook, director of an agency that works with influencers, noted that the videos reached even moderate and conservative voters. However, investments in TikTok remained relatively small compared to traditional TV advertising.
