TikTok: politics for young people. What are Trump and Milei talking about? Polarization, hate and misinformation in election campaigns

Abstract

The research addresses the use of TikTok by presidential candidates Donald Trump (United States) and Javier Milei (Argentina) during the election campaigns of 2024 and 2023, respectively, with the aim of analyzing what they talk about and for whom, above all, if they address the young audience by connecting with the issues that interest them most; whether their messages contribute to affective polarisation, hate speech and misinformation. The study is based on a comparative approach between the two candidates, analysing a total of 200 videos published on TikTok in the period prior to the elections in both countries. The methodology used combines a quantitative and qualitative approach, which includes content and discourse analysis. It is concluded that Trump does not have a specific interest in speaking to young audiences, unlike Milei, who even dresses with youthful aesthetics; it is observed that the messages of both candidates contribute to polarization and in some cases hate speech is promoted; and also misinformation is promoted, which impacts the perception that young people have about the electoral processes. Disinformation and the attack on the adversary, in short, are at the service of emotional polarization during the electoral process. Finally, the research reveals the differences between the two right-wing populist candidates within a similar strategy, with respect to the targeting of young people and the type of affective polarisation activated.