The first TikTok election? Social media, generative AI, and data-driven campaigning in the 2024 UK General Election

The development of new communication technologies over the past century is intrinsically linked with the development of new modes or phases of campaigning (Norris 2000; Schmitt-Beck and Farrell 2003). Recent and rapid expansion in the amount and granularity of voter data available along with the opportunities for more precise and personalized message delivery through social media platforms has led to campaigns being labelled as ‘data-driven’ (Dommett et al., 2024). As well as prompting deeper shifts in campaign organization, strategy, and resources, the emergence of new technologies can lead parties to engage in more experimental and innovative communication techniques, particularly in the lead-up to a national election. The snap UK General Election in 2024 was no exception in this regard. As parties continued to invest heavily in microtargeting—a technique that lies at the heart of the new data-intensive mode of campaigning—media speculation was rife over whether we were about to see “the first TikTok election” (Tapper and Smith-Galer 2024; Titcomb 2024). Or, whether the new wave of generative artificial intelligence (AI) would flood the internet with believable ‘deep fake’ content and throw the outcome of the vote into question (Judson 2023). Surrounding this process of evolution and innovation in digital campaign practices, we also witnessed the introduction of a new regulatory regime, the explicit mission of which was to require greater transparency and accountability from those promoting online political material.