User:Saas05241/sandbox

AfD Strategy on TikTok

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been utilizing TikTok as a key platform to engage younger audiences. A comprehensive study conducted by Classen et al. (2024) analyzed 120 videos from the party’s TikTok account and examined their communication strategies. The study identified that the AfD emphasizes themes such as security, anti-establishment sentiment, and identity politics. They focus on creating a general sense of insecurity by highlighting issues like financial stability, crime, and freedom restrictions. The party also underscores its anti-immigrant stance, advocating for stricter border controls and linking migrants with higher crime rates.

The AfD employs various populist communication techniques on TikTok, including provocation, conspiratorial rhetoric, emotionalization, and fearmongering. They emphasize a clear "us versus them" dichotomy, simplify complex issues, and propose radical solutions. The study noted that the AfD’s audiovisual strategy on TikTok is distinctive, focusing more on delivering core political messages rather than entertainment. They make extensive use of branding elements such as consistent colors, logos, and other visual identity markers to create a recognizable party image. The research suggests that TikTok plays a crucial role for the AfD in reaching potential voters by addressing public safety concerns and fostering distrust in the established political system, positioning the AfD as an ideal alternative.