How TikTok’s Visual Politics Shaped Indonesia’s 2024 Election
“Indonesia, with over 66.5% of its population connected to the Internet, became TikTok’s second-largest user base in the world by February 2025, reaching 107.7 million users and surpassing the country’s user numbers on both Facebook and Instagram. TikTok’s appeal was especially strong among younger demographics, with over 50% of its users being between the ages of 18 and 40. This demographic composition mirrored the electorate, where voters under 40 accounted for more than half of the 205 million eligible voters. This convergence of demographics, digital culture, and platform design made TikTok an especially powerful force in shaping the tone, imagery, and emotion of the 2024 presidential race.”
“It is worth noting that of the 113 million TikTok users, around 31 per cent are between the ages of 17 and 30. This age group is often seen as having no direct experience of Suharto’s authoritarian era and lacking awareness about Prabowo’s military record. Generation Z support is regarded as a key factor in Prabowo-Gibran’s victory, but they have been criticised for prioritising gimmicks over historical understanding.”