TIKTOK'S ALGORITHM AND THE "VERYDEMURE" TREND: A STUDY OF VIRAL POLITICAL SATIRE AMONG GEN Z

This study examines the intersection of TikTok's algorithmic infrastructure, viral meme culture, and political satire among Generation Z, using the "VeryDemure" trend as a central case study. The "VeryDemure" trend, originating from creator Jools Lebron in August 2024, represents a significant moment where seemingly apolitical content about modesty and mindfulness transformed into a vehicle for political commentary and civic engagement. Through a mixed-methods approach combining algorithmic analysis, content analysis of 200 TikTok videos, and semi-structured interviews with 30 Gen Z content creators, this research investigates how TikTok's recommendation algorithms facilitate the rapid transformation of satirical content into political discourse. The study draws on theoretical frameworks including network media logic (Klinger & Svensson, 2024), algorithmic governance (Zulli & Zulli, 2022), and recent scholarship on digital political communication. Findings reveal that TikTok's algorithm disproportionately amplifies content that employs irony, remixability, and participatory engagement, creating conditions where political satire can bypass traditional media gatekeeping. The "VeryDemure" trend exemplifies what this study terms "algorithmic political satire"—a form of civic engagement uniquely enabled by platform affordances that privilege performative, remixable, and affectively charged content. This research contributes to emerging literature on social media and political communication by demonstrating how seemingly frivolous viral trends can function as sites of substantive political discourse, particularly among younger demographics who increasingly turn to platforms like TikTok for news and political information.
Keywords: TikTok algorithm, political satire, Generation Z, viral trends, digital activism, meme culture, algorithmic amplification, "VeryDemure" trend, participatory culture, social media politics