1 min read –

Is TikTok a Kingmaker in Indonesia’s Election ?

It looks like it is, read below to see how.

Prabowo Subianto is the favorite candidate to win the Indonesia presidential election next week.

Prabowo is a former special forces commander accused of past abuses.

He has managed to soften his strongman reputation through a surprising image change.

More than half of Indonesia’s 204 million voters (total population 275m) are millennials or younger.

Videos of Prabowo dancing flood social media, gaining popularity among young internet users.

TikTok has become a crucial platform for political competition among the young.

Indonesia has more TikTok users than any country except the USA.

Prabowo’s popularity on TikTok is also boosted by his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming.

Gibran’s most popular TikTok videos have been viewed over 20 million times, putting him on a par with Taylor Swift.

AI-generated cartoon versions of toddler Prabowo and Gibran are all over the campaign’s public space (see picture).

TikTok unfortunately reduces the election discourse to videos, songs, and dances.

The political campaign is more about personality and less about policy discussions.

TikTok’s role also raises concerns about fake news. The platform has a history of approving false political advertisements.

What do you think of TikTok’s influence on an election?

A- Definitely game changer and kingmaker
B- Has influence but not significant
C- It is negligible

Drop your opinion in comment. (in the Linkedin post)

Source: The Economist
Picture: Instagram @faisalmn

PS: If you want a copy of the full article from The Economist, ask us at bonjour@cintasia.com