PoliTikToking – Online Personalism on TikTok: The Case Study of the 24th Knesset General Election Campaign

Abstract

Based on the theory of personalized politics, this study examines the inaugural electoral campaign seen on TikTok during the March 2021 elections for the 24th Knesset, providing a detailed analysis of online personalism. It offers a multimodal perspective focusing on parties and individual politicians in three political echelons (Parties-Leaders-Candidates); political output data and users’ engagement metrics; and personalism types (individualization/privatization) on individual politicians’ videos.

The findings reveal a nuanced political platform. When discussing political content (output), TikTok stands out from other social media platforms by creating a depersonalized environment where political parties excel over individuals. This is achieved through a clever strategy that involves youth groups managing the accounts to actively engage with users, and to maximize the platform’s potential. Centralized personalism is evident within the party’s internal dynamics.

Regarding engagement, TikTok replicates the patterns of personalized politics observed on other social media platforms with a clear mode of centralized personalism patterns of engagement. When discussing personalism types, we have distinguished a hybrid third category of personalized videos that integrate elements of both individualization and privatization and are linked to the distinctive affordances of TikTok.

This study highlights how TikTok serves a dual purpose in political campaigns by engaging with younger demographics and strengthening established party frameworks. The implications suggest a complex interaction between traditional political dynamics and new media platforms, emphasizing the complex adaptation of political communication in the digital age.