Modern political movements thrive or decline through the influence of social media platforms, such as Instagram and Tiktok.
A recent illustration of this phenomenon was observed during the New York Mayoral election. Despite being an Irish woman residing in London, my Instagram feed was inundated with updates on Zohran Mamdani’s successful mayoral campaign in New York City.
The power of hope and animosity spreads rapidly through social media channels. Nigel Farage is adept at encapsulating the latter sentiment into easily shareable soundbites for his followers.
A report by the charity Demos delved into the perspectives of 16-year-olds in November 2025, after conducting workshops with over 700 young individuals nationwide. The study explored their views on social media, politics, the state of Britain, and their future prospects.
The report highlighted a disconnect between mainstream politicians and young people. While Nigel Farage is not necessarily popular, he garners admiration for his social media prowess and straightforward communication style. On the other hand, Keir Starmer is described as being invisible rather than disliked.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has recently embraced a new form of communication by joining Tiktok, signaling a proactive approach towards engaging with Generation Z.
Although it is still early days for Starmer on Tiktok, with his account launched on December 8, his presence has already attracted 26.5k followers. However, there is a considerable gap to bridge as Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, boasts 1.4 million followers on the platform.
The Demos report underscores the significance of Tiktok in the realm of democracy, emphasizing that for many young individuals, Tiktok serves as a primary source of news, surpassing traditional media in terms of speed and relevance to their lives.
To resonate with the younger demographic, political content should exude vibrancy, freshness, and authenticity. This is crucial as exposure to such content molds political identities even before policy discussions take place.
One workshop participant expressed that “you see the memes before you see the man,” indicating that viral content plays a pivotal role in introducing politicians to the youth demographic.
Although Keir Starmer’s Tiktok debut faced initial challenges, the videos have garnered substantial views, signaling a promising start to engaging with a younger audience.
Labour faces an uphill battle on social media platforms, but their efforts to adapt and engage are commendable, even if they come later in the digital game.