For
From flat-out cringe to just plain confusing, seeing your democratically-elected Gen-X or Boomer politicians on your FYP can be jarring at first. But even if it’s a tough watch seeing some MP try and be ‘down with the kids’, at least they’re trying right?
Political engagement is at an all time low, especially for young people. Chances are that unless you study POLS or are an ex Model-UN kid, you’re likely pretty ceebs or jaded about the whole thing. So it’s encouraging to see some politicians (or their social media interns, at least) make an effort to reach out and engage with audiences who may not usually care.
While many of us exist online in a world of brain-rot and questionably-funny memes, a politician can still spit bars without attempting to be funny. It’s important to see what our elected people are up to day-to-day. After all, we voted for them and their salaries are paid by us. That’s if they use their platform to be informative, rather than add high schoolers on Snapchat (as one party leader is known for).
When politicians are on social media, they’re easily visible and can post very quickly (sometimes leading to questionable decisions). If they don’t think before they speak, the public is there to hold them accountable. Plus the beef in the comments sections is basically free entertainment, right?
So yes, it may be slightly distressing to hear a balding politician say shit like “skibidi” to try and be relatable. But the accountability and action, and transparency when done right can make engaging with our politicians more natural and less of a chore.
Against
Absolutely not. It is disconcerting to see the leader of your country reposting a political meme on their story. Even worse when they discovered tiktok. The knowledge that world leaders could have one finger on the red button and log in to @WhiteHouseOfficial to counter argue a twitter warrior is at the least, uncomfortable.
It’s also embarrassing for the politicians. Social media is now flooded with political propaganda, and this time it’s being posted directly from the leaders themselves. Also, just imagine them celebrating when they reach a million followers or whatever. Don’t they have a country to run?
It’s also a poor way to share important shit in a digital age of rampant misinformation. Things can spiral out of control on social media in a way that official press releases can’t, especially if the leaders themselves are making wild proclamations.
Social media just isn’t a platform politicians should engage with. Do MPs follow each other back? Why on earth would I want to see pictures of their cat on my explore feed? Or worse, some political jargon. People go on social media to engage with their friends. Politicians straining to appeal to the glitz and glam of tiktok and instagram feels ingenuine and is frankly a poor use of their time.
To anyone who disagrees, do you actually follow any politicians? Better yet, do they even follow you back? OMG, are you moots? No? How surprising.