The observation and analysis of TikTok usage data have allowed researchers from INESC TEC to draw some conclusions about the techniques used in political content, as well as to categorise the posts with the most successful outcomes.
Short videos, viral songs, and targeted hashtags are just some of the “tricks” used by Portuguese politicians when posting on TikTok, a social network that is becoming increasingly prominent in Portugal. These conclusions stem from a study by INESC TEC, in partnership with the Expresso newspaper – which was featured in the weekly paper following the May general elections this year.
The research, authored by Nuno Guimarães and Vítor Ferreira, was based on data provided directly by the social network via API, enabling faster and more efficient analysis and cross-referencing. According to Nuno Guimarães, the study allowed for the deconstruction of some of the techniques employed by political parties on the platform and helped to understand how they influence the success of the shared content. However, he mentioned that “one should not jump to hasty conclusions, like claiming that TikTok can predict election results.”
According to the researcher, this study showed that, unlike other platforms, TikTok operates “with short videos, minimal descriptions, and trending songs to reach users”. The key to success seems to lie in searching for trends, which is why the use of hashtags that provide content prominence on the For You page – such as #fy or #fyp – is crucial for a video’s success. This page presents videos or photos from accounts that the user does not follow but are suggested by the TikTok algorithm based on data it collects from the user’s preferences.
Nuno Guimarães believes that this is one of the differentiating features of TikTok – and one that can boost the success of political content: unlike other platforms, which try to fine-tune their algorithms to present users with content like what they’ve previously viewed, TikTok seems to take more risks, adopting a kind of “exploratory” approach.
This difference allows a user with no expressed interest in politics – or a specific political movement – to view said contents. According to the researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support, these features also make it easier for an unknown profile to “go viral” compared to other platforms.
Research like this, which led to the piece published by Expresso, holds particular significance for Nuno Guimarães due to the “contribution it makes to society”, as it enables people to be “aware of the impact” social media can have on elections. “The goal is always to inform citizens. It’s important to provide easy-to-understand information, so that topics can be addressed quickly and clearly,” he concluded.
The researchers mentioned in this news piece are associated with INESC TEC and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP).
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