When Robert Habeck bid farewell to Twitter in early 2019, it sparked numerous headlines and public discussions about the role of social media. The former Green Party leader later referred to it as „one of the wisest decisions I've made in my life.“ However, Twitter is now X, and Habeck has selectively revised his communication strategy: The current Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action recently joined TikTok. He stated that he takes the fears and concerns of the younger generation seriously, and wants to offer a platform for dialogue. This move adds to a series of new social media promotions by the coalition government: The Chancellor recently made the leap to TikTok as well, generating ridicule for his briefcase video. Additionally, there is now a dedicated government information channel on WhatsApp.

„So folks, I'm now on this channel too.“ This is how Habeck's first TikTok video began. In the background: Two football shirts from the national team, a German flag, and an EU flag. His balance after the first two days: Both approval and rejection. 19,000 likes. 15,000 followers.

Many politicians aim to confront right-wing extremists or conspiracy theorists with their new social media presence. When Habeck searched his name on TikTok, he could have found many short videos with titles like „Habeck has betrayed you“, „Habeck loses control“, or „Even the EU is mocking Habeck now“. For the head of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, Ferda Ataman, it is not a good idea to have a TikTok channel. As long as TikTok and other platforms do not adhere to the rules, do not protect young people from discrimination and hate speech, and do not combat misinformation, they are not appropriate platforms for the state, she says.

A few days ago, the digital association Bitkom pointed out another issue: According to a survey, three-quarters of 16- to 29-year-olds use social media and messaging services to stay informed about politics. Across all age groups, it's around 60%. But only 11% of these users follow the profiles of individual politicians. Bitkom notes that success mainly comes to those who present themselves authentically, and engage in open and honest communication.

The Bundesrechnungshof (Federal Court of Auditors) has also turned its attention to the political use of social media. Recently, the auditors presented a report on the parliamentary groups in the Bundestag. The sobering conclusion was that these groups „largely do not comply with the strict legal requirements“. These requirements state that their social media posts must not contain party or election advertising, but must focus on presenting the work of the parliamentary group. Therefore the Bundesrechnungshof has called for a new legal framework, and the possibility of sanctions.