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A new study from The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC) finds that despite broad-based political support for the bill signed into law last month to ban TikTok from the U.S., members of Gen Z feel differently – and are significantly more likely to take action.
In general, Americans are aligned politically in support of the TikTok ban, with nearly two-thirds of those surveyed across party lines believing that the ban comes from legitimate concern that the Chinese government could use TikTok data to spy on individual Americans.
But adults ages 18-27, who are over twice as likely to use TikTok as their counterparts in other generations and make up nearly one-fifth of the voting population, are significantly more likely to believe the ban comes from a desire to limit free speech or competition, and four times as likely to take part in protest activity around the ban.
“This research gives a snapshot on a significant voting bloc during an election year – what they’re thinking and how they’ll engage,” said John Files, co-lead of North America Public Affairs for TWSC. “Against the backdrop of increased activism on campus and in corporations, and challenges from both parties in securing support from young voters, the findings offer a view into a generation that communicates differently, thinks differently and is generally less trusting of institutions.”
The study finds:
In contrast, the general American public is broadly aligned across party lines in support of the TikTok ban. The study finds that:
Eight in 10 (78%) of those surveyed from Gen Z use TikTok each week, compared to six in 10 (62%) of Millennials, a third of Gen X (33%) and one-fifth (19%) of Baby Boomers.
“This election year, everything is political and everything is public,” said Meghann Curtis, co-lead of North America Public Affairs for TWSC. “For Gen Z, TikTok – the medium – is now the message. This data holds important implications for the use of the platform by campaigns, causes and corporations – all of which will be looked at under a microscope this cycle.”
Read the full report here.
KRC Research, the research division of TWSC, conducted this national survey from May 1 to May 3, 2024 among a representative sample of n=1,007 U.S. adults 18 years of age and older.
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