Bloomberg reported on September 18, based on data from the Pew Research Center, that TikTok, the short-form social media platform owned by China’s ByteDance, is increasingly becoming a regular news source for many Americans.
According to the survey data, nearly 2 in 10 American adults (17%) regularly watch news on TikTok, a fivefold increase compared to 2020. The survey, conducted from July 15 to August 4, included over 10,650 American adults and has a margin of error of ±1.2%.
Notably, adults aged 18 to 29 are the most frequent users of TikTok for news. In this age group, 39% reported that they regularly watch news on the app, an increase from 32% in the previous year’s survey. The center noted that in earlier research, half of adults indicated they used the app to stay informed about political issues and various topics.
As TikTok cements its foothold in the U.S., these findings are significant. There is active resistance within the U.S. political sphere to using the app due to concerns that ByteDance might misuse platform user data or influence political opinions through the app feed. Some elected officials are wary of TikTok’s connections to China, fearing that it could affect the app’s algorithms, subtly impacting the content users see and shaping American views on critical issues.
TikTok has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government to stop the ban and divestiture requirements. During a hearing on Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals reiterated that the app’s national security threats outweigh concerns about freedom of the press. ByteDance must sell or transfer its ownership stake in TikTok by January of next year.
Meanwhile, another survey released earlier this month by the Pew Research Center indicated that support for a TikTok ban among U.S. locals has decreased over the past 18 months.
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