Social Media and Youth Political Engagement: A Bibliometric Analysis with Emerging Attention to TikTok

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on social media's influence on young voters' political engagement and voting behaviour, with a particular focus on the emerging role of TikTok. Using data from the Scopus database from 2015 to 2024, we analysed 893 documents from 404 sources, employing keyword co-occurrence, co-authorship, and bibliographic coupling techniques. The results reveal a significant growth in research output, with a notable surge between 2018 and 2020, reflecting increased academic interest in this field. Our analysis identifies key thematic clusters, including political participation, civic engagement, and misinformation, while highlighting a shift in focus towards newer platforms, particularly TikTok. The study underscores TikTok's rising prominence in recent research, with an average publication year of 2023.4167, indicating its growing influence on youth political behaviour. The United States emerges as the leading contributor to this field, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany, emphasising the global nature of this research area. Key researchers and their collaborative networks are also identified. This study provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of digital political communication among young voters. It highlights the need for focused research on TikTok's unique features and their impact on youth political participation. Our findings serve as a foundation for future research in this rapidly evolving area, emphasising the importance of understanding TikTok's role in shaping young voters' political engagement in the digital age.