By Trisha Bala ’22 and Vittoria Socolof ’22, News Editors

Gen Z has turned the popular social media app Tik Tok into a political minefield. The app is no longer filled with short dances and videos of food or comedy challenges. Instead, the “For You Page” is filled with 60-second clips of political debate. Simply by looking at hashtags posted under the video captions, phrases such as “Trump 2020”, “ACAB”, or “Biden 2020” appear. Teens face no shame in calling out others for opposing political affiliations and often wear their political hearts on their sleeve. Meghan Shah ‘22 affirmed that she has seen debates about abortion laws, gun laws, and has also watched numerous presidential campaign videos supporting and/or diminishing Trump and Biden on her feed. Meghan additionally explained that while Tik Tok politics can be harsh due to the comment sections, she has learned the difference between terms like leftist and liberal, as well as the meanings of phrases such as “ACAB.”

Tik Tok has truly been influential in shaping the upcoming election. One example was Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma that took place in June 2020. Teenagers on Tik Tok proposed the idea of reserving free seats for the rally, but not showing up. Thousands of teenagers created and shared videos encouraging others to reserve these tickets. In the end, the rally turn out was greatly affected as the vast majority of seats were empty.  

In addition to Tik Tok, Instagram is another popular platform for teens to share their political opinions. With one click, an Instagram post can be reshared on a story that lasts 24 hours, allowing for the quick spread of news. In order to raise awareness for the recent Black Lives Matter campaign and 2020 election, teens rely on the 24-hour “insta stories.” Zoe Fleysher ‘22, an avid Tik Toker and social media user, says, “Instagram and Tik Tok are really good for spreading information quickly and inspiring young audiences. I’ve learned a lot more from social media than I’ve learned in school about politics, but the one downside is that it can be turned into an aesthetic and become very performative.” In a survey conducted by Business Insider, 59% of respondents listed social media as a top news source with Instagram as the most used app. 65% of respondents claimed to check Instagram daily. Although Instagram is a quick way to spread news, some Gen Zers explained that the generation’s reliance on social media is polarizing, as algorithms lead conservatives to more right-leaning content and liberals to more left-leaning posts. Simply posting a 30-second clip of an entire presidential speech can sway one’s opinion, allowing the viewer to stay shielded from the full picture. As we make way into the 2020 election, Instagram is going to become a major stage for debate, as well as a platform for Gen Z to stay active in politics. 

Social media proves to be extremely influential in the politics of Gen Z. Even for the younger population who cannot vote, social media is getting them active in politics earlier than ever before. Due to apps like Tik Tok and Instagram, students at Newark Academy are able to learn about the current issues in our country that they may not hear about and dive further into in school.