Same Platform, Different Contexts: How Public Sector Actors Transform Political Communication On TikTok In Southeast Asia And Europe

Abstract

The thesis investigates how public sector actors in Southeast Asian and European countries communicate political messages on TikTok. Employing Multimodal Semiotic Content Analysis (MSCA), the study analyzed a data set of 34 videos published between 2022 and 2026 by verified public sector actors in three Southeast Asian countries - Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia - and three European countries - the United Kingdom, France, and Spain. The coding framework was developed based on social semiotic theories. All videos were manually coded using ELAN. Subsequently, chi-square tests were conducted to compare multimodal content across two regions. The findings showed that public sector actors in the two regions partly differ in how they use multimodal features, suggesting contrasting communication styles. Specifically, in the European region, public sector actors tend to adopt a more direct, professionalized, and simple communication style. In contrast, Southeast Asian public sector actors demonstrate a more edited, performative, aesthetic, and informational communication style. Overall, the study provides insights into how political communication on TikTok is shaped across different geographical contexts.