TRENTON, NJ – When it comes to getting the news in New Jersey, more adults are turning to TikTok, making it the fastest-growing news platform among adults in 2023.
A rising number of Americans, especially young adults, are turning to TikTok for news, marking a shift in the landscape of social media news consumption.
The news is troubling for many as TikTok has been under scrutiny for its alleged ties to foreign countries.
Recent data reveals that the proportion of U.S. adults who regularly access news via TikTok has significantly increased. From 2020 to 2023, this figure surged from 3% to 14%. The trend is most pronounced among those aged 18 to 29, with approximately one-third of this demographic reporting regular news engagement on TikTok. This represents a notable contrast to other age groups, such as 15% of those aged 30 to 49, 7% for the 50 to 64 bracket, and a mere 3% for individuals over 65.
TikTok’s role as a news source is expanding among its user base. Currently, 43% of TikTok’s U.S. adult users regularly get news on the platform, up from 33% in 2022. This aligns TikTok with Facebook in terms of news dissemination among its users. However, it still trails behind the platform known as X, previously Twitter, in this regard.
This trend is particularly noteworthy given TikTok’s primary reputation as a platform for short-form video content. The platform is popular among teenagers, with two-thirds reported to have used it. This shift in news consumption patterns represents a significant development in the way younger generations interact with and access news.