Social Media: Bundestag ist jetzt auch bei TikTok aktiv

The German Bundestag has now joined TikTok, the popular short video platform. In its inaugural video on the social media site, the focus is on speaking time and appropriate language on the microphone. The Bundestag also offers a glimpse into its archive, highlighting that not everything runs smoothly even within the glass dome of the Reichstag building.

With the new channel, the parliament aims to expand its presence on social media, particularly to engage younger audiences. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) stated that democratic institutions cannot be absent where political opinion shaping takes place. Acknowledging the platform's primary role in shaping political views among the younger generation, Klöckner emphasized that ignoring this reality would be negligent, despite valid criticisms of TikTok.

The Bundestag's TikTok presence will include current developments, historical references, and behind-the-scenes looks. The parliament is already active on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Mastodon, X, and Bluesky, each with its own channel. Despite concerns, TikTok remains one of the most widely used social media platforms globally, with over 27 million monthly users in Germany alone.

The app is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance and functions as a short video platform, where an algorithm determines which content to display to users based on their individual behavior, such as dwell time, likes, and comments. This algorithmic approach leads to new accounts gaining millions of views overnight, even without followers.

Skepticism surrounding TikTok arises from multiple sources, including concerns from German security agencies about the platform being a tool for espionage, and criticism of its impact on the mental health of young people.