Toxic politics and TikTok engagement in the 2024 U.S. election

What kinds of political content thrive on TikTok during an election year? Our analysis of 51,680 political videos from the 2024 U.S. presidential cycle reveals that toxic and partisan content consistently attracts more user engagement—despite ongoing moderation efforts. Posts about immigration and election fraud, in particular, draw high levels of toxicity and attention. While Republican-leaning videos tend to reach more viewers, Democratic-leaning ones generate more active interactions like comments and shares. As TikTok becomes an important news source for many young voters, these patterns raise questions about how algorithmic curation might amplify divisive narratives and reshape political discourse.