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Can TikTok Drive Support for the Far-Right? Causal Evidence From Germany

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  • Heyna, Philipp

Abstract

Can TikTok drive support for the far-right? In light of surging electoral support for the far-right among younger cohorts in Germany and other European countries, this question has frequently been raised in the political debate. TikTok users are relatively young, and the success of far-right actors on the platform suggests that it is a driving force behind these trends. Leveraging data from a German Longitudinal Election Studies (GLES) online survey, I provide, to the best of my knowledge, the first causal evidence of TikTok effects on political support. Using coarsened exact matching, genetic matching, and an instrumental variables design, my results suggest that TikTok significantly increases support for the AfD and its candidates, but does not cause corresponding shifts in political ideology. My findings highlight the disruptive potential of social media platforms like TikTok for democratic stability and contribute to a better understanding of the drivers of youth support for the far-right.

Suggested Citation

  • Heyna, Philipp, 2024. "Can TikTok Drive Support for the Far-Right? Causal Evidence From Germany," OSF Preprints yju9n_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:osfxxx:yju9n_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/yju9n_v1
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