TikTok has emerged as the most used single source of news for teenagers in the UK, according to a new report by Ofcom.
The regulator's "News Consumption In The UK 2022/23" report reveals that TikTok is the preferred news platform among 12 to 15-year-olds, with 28% of teenagers using the app. It is followed closely by YouTube and Instagram, both at 25%.
Ofcom, short for the Office of Communications, is an independent regulatory authority in the United Kingdom that oversees and regulates the communications and media industries.
The rise of TikTok as a news source comes amidst a significant shift in how young people consume news.
Nic Newman, senior research associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, notes that younger individuals tend to listen to influencers and personalities for their news, many of whom discuss various topics, including serious issues such as free school meals.
This shift has led major publishers to refocus their strategies and join TikTok to reach younger audiences and counter the spread of unreliable news.
Despite TikTok's popularity, the BBC retains the highest reach of any news organisation among teenagers, with 39% using its platforms for news content.
This indicates that while TikTok may be a favoured source for some news, traditional media still holds considerable influence over young people's news consumption.
It is worth noting that the rise of TikTok as a news source has raised concerns over security, particularly since it is a Chinese-owned video-sharing app.
The UK Government has already banned ministers from using TikTok on their work phones following a security review, and both the House of Commons and the Lords have banned the app across the Palace of Westminster due to security concerns.
Although TikTok has denied sharing data with China, Beijing's intelligence legislation mandates companies to cooperate with the Communist Party when requested.
While TikTok may be gaining popularity as a news source, trust in traditional news sources remains higher among teenagers.
BBC One/Two was trusted by 82% of teenage users, while TikTok had a trust rating of 32%. Instagram and Facebook followed with trust ratings of 38% and 41%, respectively. Twitter was the exception, with a trust rating of 50%.
When it comes to the news topics that interest younger teens, sports and sports personalities are at the top (23%), followed by music news or singers (15%), celebrities or famous people (11%), serious things going on in the UK (8%), and news about animals or the environment (9%).
In contrast, among those aged 16 to 24, traditional media sources, such as TV, radio, and print newspapers, are less popular compared to social media platforms. Instagram is the most-used single news source, followed by Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. BBC One remains the only traditional media source to feature in the top five.
While TikTok's popularity as a source of news for adults is growing, its trust, accuracy, and impartiality ratings are lower compared to traditional sources of news.
However, it fares moderately well in providing a range of opinions, helping users understand current events, and being personally important to them.
The rise of TikTok as a news platform highlights the evolving landscape of news consumption among young people. While the platform offers new opportunities for reaching younger audiences, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of news content is crucial in a time when misinformation and unreliable sources can spread quickly.
As young people increasingly turn to social media for their news, the responsibility lies with publishers, influencers, and platforms to deliver trustworthy and credible information to the next generation of news consumers.
IOL