Platform Politics in the U.S. Congress: Diffusion of TikTok and Threads

Abstract

This study investigates which members of the 118th U.S. Congress adopt and use Threads and TikTok, and what political, demographic, and constituency-level characteristics explain this variation. Grounded in diffusion of innovation theory, we ask: What factors predict the adoption and use of these emerging platforms? We compiled original data on all members of Congress (N = 535) by collecting social media account information from official congressional websites and manually verifying platform presence. Adoption was measured as a binary variable, and usage as the number of posts made through November 2023. Using probit and OLS regression models, we tested predictors including party affiliation, age, race, leadership status, and prior digital engagement. The empirical analyses reveal that Democrats and younger legislators are more likely to adopt Threads and TikTok. Prior digital engagement consistently predicts usage on both platforms. Notably, racial identity plays a critical role: non-white members are more likely to adopt and use TikTok, while white members are more likely to use Threads. This study offers the first empirical analysis of congressional adoption and usage of Threads and TikTok. Our findings demonstrate that platform choice is shaped by identity, institutional context, and political strategy. These findings offer new insights into the determinants of early platform adoption among U.S. congress members and the importance of aligning communication choices with constituent behavior and platform culture.