TikTok's Religious Content and Its Influence on Young Users' Religious Literacy
Keywords:
TikTok, Religious Literacy, Digital Religion, Religious Content, Social MediaAbstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of TikTok religious content on the religious literacy of young users. The rapid growth of social media has transformed how religious knowledge is accessed, interpreted, and practiced, making platforms like TikTok a crucial space for contemporary religious learning. This study employed a qualitative research design involving twelve university students in Malang City, Indonesia, who actively engage with religious content on TikTok. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, digital observation of religious TikTok accounts, and document analysis, and analyzed using thematic analysis following the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña framework. The findings indicate that TikTok serves as a gateway to basic religious literacy by providing accessible and engaging religious knowledge. Exposure to diverse religious creators increases awareness of various religious interpretations and encourages more pluralistic perspectives. Religious content influences daily religious practice by motivating users to apply religious values in their daily lives. These findings contribute to the field of digital religion and religious literacy by demonstrating how social media facilitates religious learning, interpretation, and practice. Future studies should use a larger sample size and a mixed-methods approach to provide more comprehensive evidence for educational and policy development.
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