TIKTOK: THE NEW SOURCE FOR NEWS

Pardon us if we’re a bit grumpy here,

But when we were 15 (were we EVER 15?) and actually consumed news, it was our local tv station (we only got one), a big-city paper, and the “New York Times.”

And here we are in 2023 where the preferred news option for 15-year-olds is now…TIKTOK.

At least in the UK, and appears to be spreading here.

All due respect to Caroline Collins, c’mon.

But, indeed, a recent study found that children in Britain aged 12-15 used TikTok as the top single source of news across all platforms at 28%, followed by YouTube and Instagram at 25% each.

Even more unsettling, he study also showed that TikTok as a news source has become more popular among adults, with one in every 10 adults using it to keep up with news

The problem here is that TIKTOK’s algorithm notes what people are watching and steers them to similar content that would engage them.

Which is like a diet consisting solely of fast food with no vegetables or fruit.

Vegetables and fruit are necessary to good physical health.

A variety of news stories, not just those people are interested in, is necessary for a healthy society.

It used to be that way – once upon a time.