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Use of Social Technology for Political Communication: Influence of TikTok on Voter Engagement

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Communication and Applied Technologies (ICOMTA 2023)

Part of the book series: Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies ((SIST,volume 375))

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Abstract

In this article a digital ethnographic analysis of the TikTok social media as an electoral campaign tool is made during the presidential elections of Ecuador in 2021. Through the application of a mixed methodology with an inductive focus, the indicators of social media are analyzed in order to know the public’s answer through the engagement of each candidate, contrasting it with the percentage of votes evidenced by the National Electoral Council of Ecuador (CNE). The results show that candidates Hervas, Arauz, and Lasso caused and obtained different results through their electoral campaigns by using this platform. It is concluded that TikTok works as a window to society when making a person, product, or service visible. In this case, the social network launched the outsider candidate Xavier Hervas and marked an important difference in the campaign for the second round of the winning candidate Guillermo Lasso. The use of TikTok as an electoral campaign tool produces favorable results in the function of diffused content acceptance, allowing a bigger and more sensitive reach of the voters.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The first voting in the politic elections of 2021 was on February 7th, 2021; the second electoral round was on April 21st of the same year.

  2. 2.

    Verification badge given to the user profile of TikTok when it has been confirmed that it belongs to the person or brand they represent.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Cuenca, 010105, Ecuador

    María Paula Galarza Fajardo & Andrea De-Santis

Authors
  1. María Paula Galarza Fajardo
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  2. Andrea De-Santis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea De-Santis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Málaga, Spain

    Daniel Barredo Ibáñez

  2. Rúa da Maestranza, A Coruña, Spain

    Laura M. Castro

  3. Complejo Cultural Universitario, Puebla, Mexico

    Araceli Espinosa

  4. Circunvalación ao Campus Universitario, Vigo, Spain

    Iván Puentes-Rivera

  5. Campus Vida, Avenida do Doutor Ángel Jorge Echeverri, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Paulo Carlos López-López

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© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Galarza Fajardo, M.P., De-Santis, A. (2024). Use of Social Technology for Political Communication: Influence of TikTok on Voter Engagement. In: Ibáñez, D.B., Castro, L.M., Espinosa, A., Puentes-Rivera, I., López-López, P.C. (eds) Communication and Applied Technologies. ICOMTA 2023. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 375. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7210-4_19

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