TikTok is Increasingly Becoming a News Source

Question

As TikTok continues to gain more users each day, it is now becoming a platform that includes more than just dancing videos - it is now a main source of news for at least 20% of adults. The issue with this is that TikTok is struggling to deal with what is true and what is false.

Answer 1

From investigatrivereportingworkshop.org, October 17, 2022

An increasing number of U.S. adults get their news from TikTok, a new Pew Research Center study found.

Nearly every social media site experienced either a decline or stagnation in its share of users who regularly get news there since 2020 — except TikTok, which saw an increase. Thirty-three percent of TikTok users said they regularly get their news on the app, a 10% jump from 2020.

Such users are predominantly younger, with 52% of the app’s audience 18 to 29 years old.

The use of TikTok has drastically changed over the years from more of a fun social media to a huge center of entertainment and also news. The problem with this the credibility of news spread throughout the platform.  

Answer 2

This is an interesting claim and as an avid user of Tik Tok I definitely see the increase in news shown on Tik Tok rather than just funny or dancing videos. When researching this claim I came across several surveys by the Pew Research organization that shows for people under 30 about a quarter of them get their news from Tik Tok regularly. When averaged out with the other ages the amount of adults who get their news from Tik Tok has increased from 3% in 2020 to 10% in 2022. It is clear that the number of people getting their news from Tik Tok is increasing.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/10/21/more-americans-are-getting-news-on-tiktok-bucking-the-trend-on-other-social-media-sites/

I was also curious about how many of my friends get their news from Tik Tok. After calling 3 of my hometown friends I found out that all 3 of them use Tik Tok as their main avenue for news.

Answer 3

When first reading this, I noted that 20% seemed like a large number of people to SOLEY get their news from TikTok. While many people do see news that doesn't mean that it's the only place they go. Therefore, that makes the statement false. According to Pew Reasearch, about 30% of U.S. adults use TikTok but only 10% regularly use it as their news source.

However, while the statistic might not be the most up to date, it is a concern that people are relying on TikTok when it is not a super great resource since anyone can post anything. 

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/

Answer 4

 According to Forbes magazine, it is true that TikTok is a news source used regularly by 26% of all American adults under 30. However, the Forbes article also notes from Pew Research Center's annual survey regarding social media, that for "older demographics accessing TikTok as a regular news source drops precipitously from 10% for adults 30-49, to 4% for adults 50-64 and just 1% for adults 65+."

To answer this question, it is important to note who the target audience is. If the question asks specifically if American young adults see TikTok as a source of news, the answer would be yes 26% do. Additionally, the Forbes magazine notes that around half of all American adults "at least sometimes get their news from social media" in general.  

 
 https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2022/11/02/tiktoks-growth-as-a-news-source-raises-concerns-about-their-content/?sh=5fc943ed5220

 

  

Answer 5

TikTok holds lots of information, so much content is put out each day. However, there is no source to fact-check each piece of content. There are many creators who solely discuss news, and have gained the public's trust, but it will not become a main source of news. It can be used as a starting point, but there is a lack of trust from misinformation, therefor users of TikTok will additionally use alternate, well-known news sites. 

https://thebutlercollegian.com/2021/09/tiktok-fake-news-or-a-reliable-source/

Answer 6

According to an article, "TikTok is fastest growing news source for UK adults, Ofcom finds", by Dan Milmo, it is stated that TikTok is continuously getting more reliable when it comes to the spread of information. A study conducted by Ofcom found that about 7% of adults in the UK rely more on TikTok for their news rather than conventional news stations.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/21/tiktok-is-fastest-growing-news-source-for-uk-adults-ofcom-finds

Answer 7

TikTok is becoming more and more prevalent on the internet, and has become a source of news for many. A poll from the Pew Research Center, a widely trusted organization, found that 30% of American Adults use TikTok, 10% of whom get their news through the app.

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/

Answer 8

This claim is true as many more users have began to use TikTok, regardless of age and gender. In the past, TikTok was widely used as strictly a music entertainment and dance performance app, but has evolved into a more versatile app since the start of the pandemic. According to Pew Research Center, "The percentage of people getting news from TikTok has tripled since 2020; around 10 percent of all US adults now regularly get news on the app. For adults under 30, that number jumps to 26 percent." So this claim is true.

https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/24/23420679/tiktok-pew-study-us-adult-news-comsumption-survey-facebook-twitter

Answer 9

I would definitely say that TikTok is increasingly becoming a news source for more people. TheVerge.com says "The percentage of people getting news from TikTok has tripled since 2020; around 10 percent of all US adults now regularly get news on the app. For adults under 30, that number jumps to 26 percent." Although these numbers are different than the original claim made, it is still true that TikTok is used as a news source for many people. TikTok is an easy platform for young generations to gain knowledge about the news because you don't necessarily have to look for it and will come across many different stories while scrolling. It is also true that TikTok has a plethora of true and false information, but that's why being educated on how to distinguish truth from fake is important. 

https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/24/23420679/tiktok-pew-study-us-adult-news-comsumption-survey-facebook-twitter

Answer 10

This is a strong claim and I could see where this could be true. As an avid tik tok user, I could say I get and gain a high percentage of my news from apps such as tik tok. Tik Tok is 100% more than just a dancing app but is it too bold to claim it as a news source? Who is fact checking those articles and stories told on the app, how is factual, what makes it believable and reliable? 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2022/11/02/tiktoks-growth-as-a-news-source-raises-concerns-about-their-content/?sh=1228c7655220

Comments

It's nice to hear your personal thoughts and experience. Going forward, it's best to also add some information to support your rating such as a data point or quote from an expert rather than listing a URL source. That would make for a much stronger fact-check. Something like: The claim is exaggerated/misleading based on Forbes article which states "XXXXXXXXXXXX" and therefore contradicts the notion that TikTok is increasingly becoming a news source.