Abstract:
The objective of this study is to examine the use of TikTok for political communication against the government in Thailand. The issues and formats of content that anti-government protesters used in political communication via TikTok and factors contributing to TikTok's use for political activism against the government, the role of anti-government protesters in driving ideology and political discourse on TikTok, and the government's efforts to control political content related to opposition on the internet are analyzed through the qualitative methodology. The study found that TikTok is one of the popular platforms used for criticizing the government, Prayut Chan-o-chas government, and challenging its ideology through humor and entertainment during the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). Moreover, the study indicated that TikTok is also less regulated than other social media platforms, although the government has attempted to control content related to opposition. Thus, this study highlights the positive and negative effects of the relationship between the Internet, political institutions, and democracy.