Upbeat dances and fashion inspiration videos take the world of TikTok by storm in waves of popularity, but the latest longtime trend is none other than the presidential election. With mass amounts of teens reaching the legal voting age in 2020 and numerous others searching for ways to get involved when they can’t vote, TikTok has become a powerful political platform. Unsurprisingly, the majority of this surge in political content comes from Generation Z, and many creators have taken advantage of the nature of the app’s algorithm to influence and spread information to the public.

Creators who are already considered “TikTok famous” have been using their mass following counts to educate. A recent group of these creators have started a collaboration effort called GenZForBiden, which essentially promoted the former VP’s campaign. In fact, the actions of such young creators have proven successful. In June, thousands of TikTok users bought out seats at President Trump’s rally in Tulsa without attending, leaving the arena largely empty. This was one of the first organized political actions taken by Generation Z on TikTok. Later attempts included filling online carts with Trump merchandise but never buying it, compromising Trump’s manufacturing system by making it seem as if more merchandise needed to be made. TikTok is, essentially, shaping politics among the younger generation; a combination of algorithm, popularity of viral videos, and DM/tagging system has made the app a primary news source for young adults. Influence on young voters is strong, as creators all over the political spectrum make informational videos and opinion pieces. This type of campaigning is unique and unprecedented, yet clearly seems to work.

Many users create trends and jokes based on political activism, directing Generation Z to the world of social justice and the election. However, there is a glaring concern: influential creators don’t always have sources and could be spreading misinformation. TikTok itself has thus implemented links to voting guides and helpful facts, attaching them to the bottom of videos with political content or anything tagged as such. While not completely eliminating false information, this voter education allows curious teens to read about the election and make an informed decision in the voting booths this year. TikTok campaigning works because it makes the younger generation feel as though they have the power to incite real change through civic engagement, and recent events have apparently brought it to the forefront of sources for young voters.