It’s a clever strategy not only to connect with younger people, but also to get feedback in real time. For nothing.
Meanwhile, “Albo” fan accounts are threatening to override the Labor Party’s carefully curated presence on the app. Take for example @genzforalbo. The main goal of the site is to take the piss out of the Liberal Party, and with 44,000 followers and over a million likes, it does something of the sort.
Here, the absurdity of the videos would be lost to anyone who is not on TikTok. One of their most popular uploads is a slideshow of Albanese’s “Glow up” to make an R-rated trend sound about the Fellatio on Microsoft CEO. The headline refers to the Albanian not by his marketing-celebrating moniker “Albo”, but rather by “Albussy”. It’s an angle on “busy” – that’s internet slang for the bottom – and while it’s insensitive, it’s the highest notion of abduction an adult male online hopes for.
While on paper this sounds like the worst nightmare of a political party, the account of those in its ranks is accepted. Rose Jackson, a social media experienced Labor member of the NSW Parliament, commented on the video to say she was “calling the police” – a perfectly ironic, no iconic, nod.
Watching politicians get along with the younger generation is sometimes more painful than watching an adult fit in a snapback around the children’s table. But I would rather they try, and I’m happy to reserve the verdict if they fail. So often the political discourse excludes teenagers and young adults by refusing to adapt and excite.
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By prioritizing social media, both parties have the chance to reach out and validate the experience of millions of young voters who have spent many of the best years of their lives scrolling inside. We are more politically engaged than ever. And we want a leader who is willing to get her all the way back to the top job – busy an all.
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