Keywords
Abstract
This study investigates Generation Z's views on the TikTok platform and its relationship to the decline in marriage rates in Indonesia. The aim is to study how digital culture and exposure to TikTok algorithms influence Gen Z's perceptions, attitudes, and values regarding marriage and personal fulfillment. This study analyzes sixteen selected TikTok videos that discuss self-development, delaying marriage, and financial priorities. A descriptive qualitative method and a case study approach were used. The results show that TikTok not only serves as an entertainment platform but also as a place where aspirations, values, and the meaning of life are constructed among teenagers. TikTok supports individualistic ideals that redefine happiness and success outside of conventional marriage thru content emphasizing self-love, professional goals, financial independence, and mental well-being. Gen Z is more likely to postpone or reconsider marriage due to socioeconomic challenges such as changing gender roles, job instability, and the high cost of living. The structure of the TikTok algorithm, which promotes personal narratives and lifestyle trends, also normalizes the idea that marriage is optional rather than essential. The study found that although TikTok is not the primary factor contributing to the decline in marriage rates, the website serves as an example and driver for broader sociocultural transformations among young Indonesians, encouraging them to adopt a rational, pragmatic, and self-centered worldview. This study enhances our understanding of how digital media influences social values and traditional institutions in contemporary society