Jack Schlossberg encourages young people to vote via TikTok

Whether he's riding his RipStik or speaking at the Democratic National Convention, Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, writes his own political script with a comedic twist.

Schlossberg became Vogue's political correspondent in July – just in time for the 2024 presidential election. He creates content for Vogue's TikTok account and writes opinion pieces for the site.

In a July 10 Vogue article, Schlossberg said he uses TikTok as an outlet to “joke around” while also “bringing the truth to light” – taking inspiration from “great leaders” like his grandfather and bringing politics to a younger audience in a fun and positive way.

Although Schlossberg does not use the Kennedy name on paper, he still bears it. He exudes his grandfather's charisma and bears a strong physical resemblance to his uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr.

He has clearly inherited the political gene, which is manifested in his engaging and often comedic selfie-style social media videos about current events, particularly key facts about the current presidential election campaign between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

In recent months, Schlossberg has risen to stardom on social media, amassing over 830,000 combined followers on his personal TikTok and Instagram accounts. Schlossberg also creates succinct but informative videos called “Jack Reacts” for Vogue's TikTok account, offering viewers a glimpse into what they may have missed in politics during a given week.

For example, one video documents Schlossberg giving his opinion on who won the presidential debate and claims Harris won the award. Another recent video provides quick facts about Tim Walz, Harris's running mate. It was posted around the time Harris announced her choice for vice president.

However, some videos on his personal accounts are more humorous.

His content tends to lean heavily left-leaning, and many of his videos feature humorous interludes about Trump and his running mate JD Vance. While videos with his personal content tend to be more biased and informal than those on the Vogue site, he uses the same casual yet academic energy.

Speaking about his family's political legacy, he told Vogue on July 10 that he wants to “contribute in his own way” and make “a positive impact today.” That influence helps engage young voters on current political issues, even if it's sometimes masked by his comedic and goofy charm. By charming many young people with his on-screen enthusiasm, Schlossberg is actually reaching a key voting demographic.

TikTok is becoming an increasingly popular platform for young people to stay up to date with news. Nearly four in 10 people ages 18 to 29 said they use the app regularly, according to a July 15 study by the Pew Research Center. In addition, 48% of TikTok users in the same age group use the app to stay up to date on politics or political issues, according to a separate March 18 study by the Pew Research Center.

Young voters, ages 18 to 32, are a crucial age group in elections. Schlossberg's mission to make a positive impact “today” begins with his ability to make politics more digestible and popular for young people who may be able to influence the upcoming election.

Last month, Schlossberg visited the University of Pennsylvania campus to encourage students in the swing state to vote. According to The Daily Pennsylvanian, he even encouraged students to bring their friends to the polls.

Schlossberg's videos – some educational, others opinionated – help inspire and inform young voters about their civic responsibilities in ways that typical political coverage may not, perhaps giving young people the foundation they need to make political decisions and, ultimately, cast their votes.

“You can make a difference because you have a voice,” Schlossberg said in Vogue’s TikTok video on June 28.

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