Factcheck this

main claim - TikTok is a trustworthy source for information

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in General Factchecking by Newbie (270 points)

Is TikTok a trustworthy source of information? There are claims that people use TikTok more than they use google.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-09-14-teens-now-turn-to-tiktok-more-than-google-but-not-for-schoolwork

by (160 points)
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Whether or not TikTok is a trustworthy source of information, in the long run, does not actually matter. With most 'news' on the app being purely opinion or that of conspiracy, it's addicting. People will still flock to the platform to escape from whatever real problems they are facing in their lives in exchange for briefings on our worldly communal problems; or more accurately, what their favorite influencer is dealing with. TikTok is not a news site, it is a social media platform that occasionally dabbles in the world's affairs.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/tiktok-isnt-a-reliable-search-engine-for-news/
by Genius (47.3k points)
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@neive.mc good explanation and source. Don't forget to add a rating to your fact-check next time. Something like "not misinformation, true" would work.

4 Answers

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by Novice (560 points)
selected by
 
Best answer

Many people use TikTok and many other social media platforms to find information about current issues. However, TikTok is a platform that spreads misinformation all of the time. A study was conducted to discover how much misinformation is spread on Tik Tok. Out of the 27 videos that were researched, none of them provided evidence to support their claims. This means that people are taking in information without knowing whether it is true. 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1477513122000961

by Genius (47.3k points)
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This is a great answer to the claim. You provided a source and and explanation. Don't forget to rate the claim using any of the following:

True
False
Exaggerated
Opinion (opinions can't be factchecked)
Misinformation
Likely misinformation
Likely not misinformation
Not misinformation
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (290 points)
TikTok is most likely not a trustworthy source of information. While TikTok is a great place for people to share their experiences, there is minimal fact-checking technology or monitoring of what people can say or post.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/08/opinion/tiktok-facebook-youtube-transparency.html

Not misinformation.
by Genius (47.3k points)
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I like that you stated the claim is "not misinformation" and used a source. However, using an opinion piece from a reputable news outlet is one approach, but you can dig a bit deeper and find more information and non-opinion pieces on the matter. For instance Mashable found that 20% of what's posted to TikTok is misinformation. https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-misinformation-report-newsguard-abortion. That would be good supporting evidence to demonstrate that the claim is not misinformation.
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by Newbie (250 points)
I would say that people should be wary of both tiktok and google as a source of information gathering. As both websites don't provide much moderation of the validity of the content shared. Its important to do additional research into the sources and information they provide.
by Genius (47.3k points)
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Nice to hear your personal view on this. Don't forget that fact-checks need evidence to support them such as reputable media reports or academic research (in the form of a URL). Also, don't forget to add a rating, such as "not misinformation, true."
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by Newbie (330 points)
The TikTok resources are not really reliable because they tend to be biased. The information that people view is filtered by their tastes. An extremely little counterargument of the same thing would show.

https://mundismillmedia.com/1820/uncategorized/is-tiktok-a-reliable-source-for-news/
by Genius (47.3k points)
0 0
Good explanation. Also, to better support your answer, you can dig a bit further and find statistics and quotes from experts in the field who outright say that TikTok is not a reputable news platform (more recent news pieces on this below). The source you used is a high school student piece so it doesn't have as much weight as a legitimate media outlet. Lastly, don't forget to add a rating, such as "not misinformation, true."

https://www.cnet.com/news/misinformation/tiktok-is-a-misinformation-minefield-dont-get-tripped-up/
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/04/technology/tiktok-deepfakes-disinformation.html
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220914-tiktok-search-results-rife-with-misinformation-report

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