The perception of the Tiktok platform as China’s sharp power instrument in US politics

Yenal Göksun; Deniz Samuk

Makale detayları

The perception of the Tiktok platform as China’s sharp power instrument in US politics

Yazarlar:

Yenal Göksun | Deniz Samuk

Yayıncı:

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar:

Kültürel çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi:

Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 4, pp.1169-1185

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001303304

pISSN:

2564-6931

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Public diplomacy can be defined as managing a countrys foreign policy objectives and protecting its national interests by establishing direct social relations and communication with the citizen or government of another country. Public diplomacy, which we know that each country has its own strategy, is handled from a different perspective in China as well. China, which has been identified with the concept of sharp power is confronted with the claims of the new rival of the USA. Recently, claims from the United States that China-based social media platform TikTok has been carrying out sharp power activities have come to the fore. TikTok is considered to be a major force for China as it has over one billion active users. However, there are debates as to whether China manipulates the peoples of other countries through this practice. Censorship and manipulation, the two main concepts of sharp power, are used in TikTok or does TikTok exist independently? The purpose of this article is to explore whether the TikTok platform, one of Chinas important public diplomacy tools, is perceived as a threat by American politicians. For this purpose, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chews US Congress testimony were analyzed by content analysis method. As a result, it has been confirmed that American politicians perceive TikTok as a sharp power instrument of the Chinese Communist Party. It has been observed that concerns have been expressed about the concepts of censorship, manipulation, propaganda, control, and influence, which are the five elements of sharp power. It has been found that the TikTok platform is perceived as a propaganda device, a psychological warfare weapon, and not a public diplomacy tool or soft power element.

 Public diplomacy can be defined as managing a countrys foreign policy objectives and protecting its national interests by establishing direct social relations and communication with the citizen or government of another country. Public diplomacy, which we know that each country has its own strategy, is handled from a different perspective in China as well. China, which has been identified with the concept of sharp power is confronted with the claims of the new rival of the USA. Recently, claims from the United States that China-based social media platform TikTok has been carrying out sharp power activities have come to the fore. TikTok is considered to be a major force for China as it has over one billion active users. However, there are debates as to whether China manipulates the peoples of other countries through this practice. Censorship and manipulation, the two main concepts of sharp power, are used in TikTok or does TikTok exist independently? The purpose of this article is to explore whether the TikTok platform, one of Chinas important public diplomacy tools, is perceived as a threat by American politicians. For this purpose, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chews US Congress testimony were analyzed by content analysis method. As a result, it has been confirmed that American politicians perceive TikTok as a sharp power instrument of the Chinese Communist Party. It has been observed that concerns have been expressed about the concepts of censorship, manipulation, propaganda, control, and influence, which are the five elements of sharp power. It has been found that the TikTok platform is perceived as a propaganda device, a psychological warfare weapon, and not a public diplomacy tool or soft power element.

 Public diplomacy can be defined as managing a countrys foreign policy objectives and protecting its national interests by establishing direct social relations and communication with the citizen or government of another country. Public diplomacy, which we know that each country has its own strategy, is handled from a different perspective in China as well. China, which has been identified with the concept of sharp power is confronted with the claims of the new rival of the USA. Recently, claims from the United States that China-based social media platform TikTok has been carrying out sharp power activities have come to the fore. TikTok is considered to be a major force for China as it has over one billion active users. However, there are debates as to whether China manipulates the peoples of other countries through this practice. Censorship and manipulation, the two main concepts of sharp power, are used in TikTok or does TikTok exist independently? The purpose of this article is to explore whether the TikTok platform, one of Chinas important public diplomacy tools, is perceived as a threat by American politicians. For this purpose, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chews US Congress testimony were analyzed by content analysis method. As a result, it has been confirmed that American politicians perceive TikTok as a sharp power instrument of the Chinese Communist Party. It has been observed that concerns have been expressed about the concepts of censorship, manipulation, propaganda, control, and influence, which are the five elements of sharp power. It has been found that the TikTok platform is perceived as a propaganda device, a psychological warfare weapon, and not a public diplomacy tool or soft power element.

 Kamu diplomasisi, bir ülkenin dış politika hedeflerini yönetmek ve başka bir ülkenin vatandaşı veya hükümeti ile doğrudan sosyal ilişkiler ve iletişim kurarak ulusal çıkarlarını korumak olarak tanımlanabilir. Her ülkenin kendine has bir stratejisi olduğunu bildiğimiz kamu diplomasisi, Çinde de farklı bir bakış açısıyla ele alınıyor. Keskin güç kavramıyla özdeşleşen Çin, ABDnin yeni rakibinin iddialarıyla karşı karşıya. Son zamanlarda ABDden Çin merkezli sosyal medya platformu TikTokun keskin güç faaliyetleri yürüttüğü iddiaları gündeme geldi. TikTok, bir milyardan fazla aktif kullanıcısı olduğu için Çin için büyük bir güç olarak kabul ediliyor. Ancak Çinin bu uygulamayla diğer ülke halklarını manipüle edip etmediği konusunda tartışmalar var. Keskin gücün iki ana kavramı olan sansür ve manipülasyon TikTokta kullanılıyor mu yoksa TikTok bağımsız olarak mı var oluyor? Bu makalenin amacı, Çinin önemli kamu diplomasisi araçlarından biri olan TikTok platformunun Amerikalı politikacılar tarafından bir tehdit olarak algılanıp algılanmadığını araştırmaktır. Bu amaçla TikTok CEOsu Shou Zi Chewin ABD Kongresindeki ifadesi içerik analizi yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak Amerikalı politikacıların TikToku Çin Komünist Partisinin keskin güç aracı olarak algıladıkları doğrulanmıştır. Keskin gücün beş unsuru olan sansür, manipülasyon, propaganda, kontrol ve etkileme kavramlarına yönelik kaygıların dile getirildiği görülmüştür. TikTok platformunun bir kamu diplomasisi aracı veya yumuşak güç unsuru olarak değil, propaganda aracı, psikolojik savaş silahı olarak algılandığı tespit edildi.

Makale detayları

The perception of the Tiktok platform as China’s sharp power instrument in US politics

Yazarlar:

Yenal Göksun | Deniz Samuk

Yayıncı:

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar:

Kültürel çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi:

Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 4, pp.1169-1185

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001303304

pISSN:

2564-6931

Sharp power

TikTok

China’s public diplomacy

China-USA relations.Keskin güç

TikTok

Çin

Çin-ABD ilişkileri.

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Yenal Göksun | Deniz Samuk

Yayıncı: Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar: Kültürel çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi: Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 4, pp.1169-1185

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 10/2023

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001303304

pISSN: 2564-6931

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Yenal Göksun | Deniz Samuk

Yayıncı:

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar:

Kültürel çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi:

Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.16 Issue 4, pp.1169-1185

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001303304

pISSN:

2564-6931