German Bundestag starts its own TikTok channel

The German Bundestag can now also be found on TikTok. His first short video on the social media platform is about speaking time and the appropriate tone at the lectern. A brief look into the archive is also provided. A microphone breakdown shows that not everything always runs smoothly even under the glass dome in the Reichstag building.

With the new channel, Parliament wants to expand its presence on social media and better reach younger people in particular. “Democratic institutions must not be missing where political opinion is formed,” says Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU). For young people in particular, the platform is the primary and often only source of information. Ignoring this reality would be negligent, “despite all the justified criticism of TikTok that I share,” explains Klöckner.

Just one channel of many

In addition to current developments, the Bundestag's TikTok presence should also focus on historical references and explanatory formats. There will also be insights behind the scenes. Parliament already has its own channel on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Mastodon, X and Bluesky.

Controversial algorithm

TikTok is one of the most used social media platforms in the world. In Germany, the platform claims to have more than 27 million monthly users. The app belongs to the Chinese company ByteDance. TikTok works as a short video platform on which an algorithm decides which content is shown to users - not primarily based on subscriptions, but based on individual user behavior such as length of stay, likes and comments. This principle ensures that even new accounts without followers can be seen millions of times overnight. Skepticism about TikTok comes from several sources. On the one hand, German security authorities accuse the platform of being an instrument of data espionage. On the other hand, the platform has been criticized for its impact on the mental health of young people.