TikTok Canada and TMU’s Democracy Engagement Exchange team up for the federal election
TikTok Canada is partnering with TMU’s Democratic Engagement Exchange to promote the integrity of the federal elections by sharing accurate information and promoting media literacy. Photo by Alexander Shatov (external link) on Unsplash (external link)
The federal election is around the corner.
In the lead up, TikTok Canada is partnering with TMU’s Democratic Engagement Exchange (external link) to produce a series of videos with local content creators to demystify the voting process and promote media literacy.
Cast your vote at your polling station on Monday, April 28 or vote on campus between April 13 to 16th on campus at 55 Gould Street.
Your vote matters. Elections are how we as citizens exercise our democratic rights and ensure our government represents the diversity of Canadian voices and priorities.
Power up: Digital and media literacy skills
By developing digital and media literacy, citizens can critically assess online information for accuracy and credibility.
Navigating digital spaces confidently allows people to form fact-based perspectives about the world and make informed decisions about their future.
John Beebe, director and founder, Democratic Engagement Exchange at TMU, wants you to know how easy it is to vote. By partnering with TikTok Canada, the Democratic Engagement Exchange is helping to promote digital and media literacy.
"TikTok is taking proactive steps to keep our electorate accurately informed,” says John Beebe, director and founder, Democratic Engagement Exchange at TMU, which works to reduce barriers to participation in our democracy.
TikTok Canada reached out to the Democratic Engagement Exchange to help bring this project to life. The Exchange provides content expertise and creative direction to content creators in generating compelling TikTok videos that tackle misinformation, encourage voter participation and guide users to accurate information from Elections Canada.
Fact-checking the federal election
More Canadians are getting their news from non-traditional sources like social media. Apps like TikTok are increasingly becoming a source of information, not just entertainment.
The pitfall of these platforms is that they are also used to disseminate misinformation and disinformation that can confuse and mislead users. With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, deep fakes can further skew reality and deepen mistrust.
These channels can also serve to amplify controversies and deepen societal divisions and discord.
“Misinformation and disinformation prey on our emotions, fueling engagement by exploiting our biases,” says Beebe. “TikTok’s highly visual and engaging nature is especially effective at eliciting emotions. That’s why we must be aware of how it shapes our perceptions through strong sentiment.”
Today, TikTok says 14 million Canadians use their platform every month (external link) .
A 2022 survey from TMU’s Social Media Lab found that nearly 76 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 were on TikTok.
TMU students can vote in the 2025 federal election on campus from April 13 to 16, at 55 Gould Street. Help decide the future!
“For many young people, in particular students, social media is their primary source of information and news,” says Beebe. “While traditional media sources have checks and balances like editors, fact checkers and ethical codes, social media lacks that type of accountability. There is also a lack of Canadian content and Canadian news sources.”
“This project presents an opportunity to prioritize accurate information on a platform that reaches millions of Canadians with very engaging content,” says Beebe.
Navigating a brave new information environment
Building critical thinking skills strengthens civic resilience, helping us adapt to change and drive meaningful change.
Developing the knowledge and skills to navigate today’s complex information landscape is essential to a well-informed public, the foundation of a healthy democracy–a key finding from a recent government report on election interference (external link) .
Making an informed choice
Digital platforms play an increasingly important role in our public debates, including during election periods. It is essential that Canadians be able to enjoy their freedom of expression, but they should expect to have access to accurate information and know who is trying to influence their choices.
With Canada's 2025 federal election underway, TikTok also launched a dedicated in-app Election Centre (external link) to provide accessible and accurate election information.
With millions of Canadians engaging with this popular app every month, many will be sharing ideas and opinions surrounding the political platforms and candidates.
Canadian TikTok users will see prompts directing them to the Election Centre when engaging with election-related content or searches, such as “Canada Election 2025” and “Federal Election.”
Duty calls: why active citizenship matters
Get out there and vote!
Compare party platforms easily with the help of political platform trackers like those on CBC.ca (external link)
or Vote Compass Tool (external link) , a tool developed by political scientists to compare your views with those of the parties.
Voting gives you the power to help shape key decisions that will impact your daily life. Broader electoral participation also increases public confidence in our leaders and political institutions.
“Building trust in institutions like Elections Canada is crucial, as they serve as non-partisan, reliable sources of election information,” says Beebe. “Undermining this trust can lead to serious issues by eroding confidence in our democratic institutions.”
Beebe believes this is why social media platforms have a responsibility to prevent misinformation. “While TikTok's efforts are a positive step, more proactive measures are needed across platforms to curb disinformation effectively,” he says.
Flex your civic muscle and vote on election day, Monday, April 28.
Vote in advance on campus between April 13 and 16 at 55 Gould Street.
Vote on other advance polling days starting Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
It’s easy to vote, just bring ID to prove your identity and address (external link) .
See you at the polls!
