Peer-reviewed article
The Representation of Women on TikTok Content on Child Marriage: A Systematic Literature Review
Dizafia Zafira Mayyasya, Iklilah Muzayyanah Dini Fajriyah, Mia Siscawati ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic literature review examines how women are represented in TikTok content about child marriage, analyzing 30 journals from 2018-2025. The study finds that TikTok content often depicts women as domestic figures destined for early marriage, romanticizing the practice through religious and cultural narratives. However, the platform also hosts campaigns against child marriage that promote education and women's rights. The research highlights the dual role of social media in either reinforcing or opposing child marriage, and recommends improving digital literacy among adolescents.
Key points
- Women in TikTok content about child marriage are predominantly represented as ideal domestic figures expected to become wives and mothers at a young age
- Social media content romanticizes early marriage through religious, cultural, and social narratives, reinforcing normalization of child marriage
- TikTok also serves as a platform for digital campaigns opposing child marriage and promoting awareness about education and women's rights
- Digital literacy among adolescents is identified as important for critically understanding social media content
- Governments, educational institutions, families, and content creators should provide educational content supporting gender equality and preventing child marriage
Limitations
This is a systematic literature review analyzing published journal articles rather than direct analysis of TikTok content itself, so it reflects what researchers have published about the topic rather than comprehensive evidence of actual TikTok representation. The study does not provide quantitative data on the prevalence of pro- versus anti-child marriage content on the platform.
Abstract
This research analyzes the representation of women in TikTok content about child marriage and examines how social media shapes public perceptions of women and early marriage practices. Applying Stuart Hall's representation theory, gender and patriarchy theory, and social construction theory, this study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, analyzing 30 national and international journals published between 2018 and 2025, selected through PRISMA guidelines. The findings reveal that women in TikTok content about child marriage are predominantly represented as ideal domestic figures expected to become wives and mothers at a young age. Such content romanticizes early marriage through religious, cultural, and social narratives, reinforcing the normalization of child marriage. However, social media also serves as a platform for digital campaigns opposing child marriage and promoting awareness about education, mental readiness, and the protection of women's and children's rights. The study identifies a dual role of TikTok: as a medium that can either strengthen or oppose child marriage practices. This research highlights the importance of improving digital literacy among adolescents to critically understand social media content. Governments, educational institutions, families, and content creators should provide educational content that supports gender equality and prevents child marriage on social media platforms. This study contributes to digital communication and gender studies by examining women's representation in TikTok content about child marriage through an SLR approach, offering references for future research on social media, women, and child marriage issues.