Chinese social media platform TikTok is undoubtedly one of the most popular applications of recent times. The platform, which has more than 1 billion users, is preferred by many people from all over the world, from seven to seventy. The application, which has a short video format, also provides other social media platforms with similar features.
However, TikTok is a platform that can be used for other purposes as well as an entertainment platform. The most prominent of these is perhaps news tracking. Some previous studies have revealed that TikTok has become an important part of our lives and is used for learning news. Now, a new study has reached similar findings.
TikTok turns into a news platform
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that a significant portion of Americans now learn the news through TikTok. According to the research, the number of users who have learned the news through TikTok has increased by 3 cards since 2020. It was observed that 10% of the adults in the country and 26% of those under the age of 30 regularly prefer this platform.
The research reveals that TikTok is gradually turning into a news source as well as an entertainment platform. A third of the app’s users say they use it to get news. This is 22% more than in 2020. According to Pew, while these numbers are rising on TikTok, they are falling on some other platforms. For example, in 2020, 54% of Facebook users said they used the app to get news, while today 44% say they do.
It should be said that it is not surprising that TikTok has become such a platform for young people. As it is known, the application is very popular among the so-called Z generation. A report published by the New York Times last month revealed that individuals of this age are now starting to use TikTok as a ‘search engine’.
A significant portion of videos on TikTok contain false information
Of course, as these rates increase, the platform’s fight against disinformation becomes more difficult. TikTok has previously been harshly criticized for content containing false information on the Russia-Ukraine war, COVID-19, and more.
A recent study by NewsGuard also revealed that about 20% of videos appearing in TikTok searches contain disinformation. If the platform is to truly become a news outlet, it has to be more careful about content that contains false information.
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