Viral Justice
TikTok Activism, Misinformation, and the Fight for Social Change in Southeast Asia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2414909 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nuurrianti Jalli (0000-0001-5680-5682, Oklahoma State University Oklahoma City, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Media + Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2056-3051 • E-ISSN: 2056-3051 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/20563051251318122 |
| OpenAlex | W4407293722 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 38 |
This study examines the use of TikTok as a platform for youth activism in Southeast Asia, focusing on Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Through a mixed-methods approach that includes qualitative content analysis, semi-structured interviews, systematic fact-checking, and digital trace data, the research explores how activists leverage TikTok's unique features to promote social justice and mobilize political participation amid democratic backslidings. The findings reveal that activists skillfully adapt to TikTok's attention economy, using strategies like trend-jacking and meme creation to reach broad audiences. However, they also face significant challenges, including rampant harassment and the precarious nature of algorithmic visibility. The study highlights the complexities of digital activism, where the pursuit of virality can sometimes undermine the depth of political movements. While the research counters the prevalent narrative that digital activism is rife with misinformation, it underscores the importance of maintaining accuracy to protect credibility. The study concludes by calling for further research on integrating online activism with offline organizing and exploring how platform governance can be reformed to better support activists. The insights from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of TikTok's role in contemporary social movements and the challenges faced by youth activists in the digital age
Criminology · Economic Justice · Ethnology · Misinformation · Political science · Social justice · Social media · Sociology · Southeast asia · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Asian Studies and History · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Law · Medicine
Hashtag activism
The Affordances of Social Media Platforms
Content takedowns and activist organizing
Conceptualising critical data literacies for civil society organisations
Through a white lens
Twitter and Tear Gas
A Critical History of Internet Activism and Social Protest in Malaysia, 1998-2011
Erased
Material Moments in Virtual Worlds
New media, new activism
Digital activism
Extending the Internet meme
Images of protest in social media
The platformization of cultural production
Policing a Pandemic
Democratic backsliding disrupted
How Generation Z Galvanized a Revolutionary Movement against Myanmar’s 2021 Military Coup
The Internet and Social Change in Asia
Many Clicks but Little Sticks
Regimes of time
Thailand's 2020-2021 Pro-Democracy Protests
Playing Politics
TikTok as a Key Platform for Youth Political Expression
Introduction to the Special Issue of 'TikTok and Social Movements
Defiant Amplification or Decontextualized Commercialization? Protest Music, TikTok, and Social Movements
Algorithmic Closeness in Mourning
Showing They Care (Or Don't)
Represented Dreams
When Algorithms Shape Collective Action
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 5 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |