From Twitter to TikTok, Trump supporters spread ‘Sleepy Joe’

The Clemson research didn’t try to address whether the 'Sleepy Joe' insult has been successful, but rather to track if – and how – it spread on several social media platforms. — AFP

US President Donald Trump may be lagging in the polls, but his nickname for his opponent is finding traction on social media sites. “Sleepy Joe” even garnered more posts than the Super Bowl and the musical Hamilton so far this year, according to new research from Clemson University.

The researchers found that “Sleepy Joe” has been spread by Trump supporters on Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc’s Instagram, the same platforms that were influential in the 2016 contest. But this time around, ByteDance Ltd’s TikTok is playing a key role, particularly among a younger audience.