How the Parliament of Austria uses TikTok

In 2024, multiple elections were held around the world. In order to inform citizens about the European Parliament and National Council elections, the Parliament of Austria sought out the social media platforms that young people use and created its own TikTok channel (@oeparl.at).

Reaching out to where young people are

The Newsroom of the Parliament of Austria produces original content on various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and short message services such as X and Bluesky. In May 2024, the Newsroom also began publishing on TikTok – a platform typically associated with videos of dancing teenagers and mukbang. The published content includes fun, educational and informative clips, as well as livestreams from parliament.

Dealing with privacy concerns and misinformation on TikTok

Using this platform did not come without its challenges. Creating an account as a public institution on a platform that is regularly criticized for data-privacy violations and misinformation required careful planning. However, decision makers in the parliamentary administration were well aware that tackling misinformation on the platform also involves having credible sources. Parliament decided to become one of these credible sources, launching its own TikTok channel just a month before the European Parliament election. 

The fact that the European Union has banned TikTok on the work phones of public-sector employees posed another challenge. Parliament overcame this hurdle by purchasing a smartphone to be used exclusively for TikTok. Only this one app – and nothing else – is installed on the device, which is not connected to parliament’s IT infrastructure.

Connecting with the audience through livestreams

The team behind parliament’s TikTok channel creates videos that describe parliamentary procedures in simple language, and that explain legal terms. The content provides insights into the history of the Parliament of Austria and explains how current news topics relate to parliament and democracy. 

The key principle guiding the work of the Newsroom of the Parliament of Austria is “communication instead of proclamation”. Regular livestreaming – both on the parliamentary website and on TikTok – helps parliament to engage with citizens in real time. Newsroom editors lead the session by answering questions from the TikTok audience, and can provide instant, behind-the-scenes information. More than 15,000 people joined the livestream of the November 2024 plenary session.