When memes govern: A study of TikTok video memes in the 2024 US presidential election

Despite the rapid growth of video-based memes, their actual influence on politics remains underexplored. This study investigates how political memes on TikTok affected the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Using a mixed-methods design, we combined expert evaluations of meme content ( N = 121) and a survey experiment ( N = 240) to assess the roles of humor level, knowledge quality, and candidate focus in affecting political outcomes. Structural equation modeling revealed that humor level significantly increased political engagement intention but had a negative direct effect on attitude change, while knowledge quality directly promoted attitude change. We also found that political cynicism moderated these effects: among cynical individuals, highly humorous memes more strongly boosted political engagement intention. Polarization analysis highlights that in-party memes reinforce existing beliefs, and Trump-focused or high knowledge quality content sways independent audiences. This study explores the complex dynamics of video-based memes, contributing to the understanding of digital media’s role in political processes.