Spotify and Social Media campaigns aim to boost youth turnout in European Elections
In an effort to increase youth participation in the upcoming European Parliament elections, Spotify has launched the “Play your part, Europe” campaign. This initiative will notify all free and premium users over 18 with an in-app message, reminding them of the election cycle. The European elections are scheduled to take place between June 6-9 this year.
Historically, European elections have experienced a decline in voter turnout over the past 40 years. However, there has been a recent upswing in participation rates, though the youth vote remains significantly underrepresented. This disparity has motivated various European countries to implement measures aimed at engaging younger voters. For instance, Belgium and Germany have lowered their voting age to 16, joining Malta and Austria. Greece also reduced its voting age to 17 ahead of the last set of European Parliament elections.
Spotify’s campaign is part of these broader efforts to encourage electoral participation among young people. The music streaming service is not only sending reminders to vote, but also promoting a playlist featuring European artists. Additionally, the app provides links to the official EU website within its messaging.
This is not the first time Spotify has engaged in voter mobilization efforts. The Swedish company previously launched similar campaigns for the UK local elections and for national elections in Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States.
As the June elections approach, approximately 365 million people will be eligible to vote across the European Union. The influence of social media on EU policy over the next five years remains a critical point of discussion.
The role of Social Media in european elections
Unlike Spotify, which can run its campaign without partisan concerns, major social media platforms have faced increased scrutiny since the last European elections in 2019. TikTok, in particular, has emerged as the fastest-growing social media platform in Europe, playing a significant role in engaging younger audiences. The increased youth turnout in the previous elections was largely attributed to campaigns conducted on platforms like Snapchat. Given its large Gen-Z user base, TikTok could be pivotal in the upcoming elections.
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, has actively posted videos on TikTok to connect with young voters. She explained to Euronews the importance of reaching out to this demographic directly to combat potential misinformation. Despite security concerns, engaging young voters on these platforms is seen as essential to prevent misinformation and ensure a fair election.