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Faced for several days overseas chinese in australia data with a resurgence of protests and violence in New Caledonia, the French government has carried out a threat already made during the riots of summer 2023: the suspension of TikTok . Many point to social networks as the main culprits for the resurgence of discontent and violence.
In light of the recent decision by the US Congress to vote on the possible banning of TikTok [if the social network refuses to cut ties with its parent company , ByteDance, and more broadly with China] , the Chinese app seems like an ideal culprit. However, a deeper analysis of the link between social networks and anti-democratic sentiment reveals a more complex reality.
Indeed, a study that I co-authored with Bruce Bimber, Daniel Gomez, Ilia Nikiforov and Karolina Koc-Michalska , published in the scientific journal The International Journal of Press/Politics , does not support the idea that TikTok contributes significantly to the rejection of elites and institutions, or even to conspiracy theories. In addition to platforms linked to the “fachosphere”, such as Gab.
Rumble or Truth Social, our study shows that it is platforms that promote strong ties between users, such as Facebook, Snapchat and WhatsApp, that contribute the most to the rejection of elites and institutions, as well as to conspiracy beliefs.
Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers The blocking of TikTok in New Caledonia, a first in France which raises questions in a state governed by the rule of law
On the other hand, it has not been demonstrated that platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads or even TikTok, which promote interactions between individuals who often do not meet in real life, are responsible for the rejection – sometimes violent – of our institutions.
