TikTok as a news source – My thoughts
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create short videos of up to 60 seconds in length. It’s popular among young people, who use the app to make funny videos using filters and themes. The videos are generally short and in the moment, and were mostly created by users rather than professional film crews or actors. But with businesses joining in the game, and people who want to target that large audience and the younger demographic specifically, the quality of content has significantly changed.
Current state
TikTok is a social media platform where users usually make 15 second videos, but they can now go up to 10 minutes in length. The videos themselves are all over the spectrum of quality; from dumb stuff to cutting breaking news coverage. Reporters are using it to live reports of events, but also to share general thoughts, advice and tips.
TikTok’s algorithm seems to pressure reporters to make their videos that “go viral”. How do you balance reporting what’s happening with your audience’s expectations? Do you want your content to be popular or do you want it to be accurate? Because TikTok is short-form and in-the-moment, there’s an instant connection between the reporter/journalist and the viewers. It feels more like having a conversation than watching a news report.
More pros and cons
As a social media platform, TikTok is incredibly popular among teenagers and young adults. It’s the most popular social media platform for teenagers in the US and worldwide. This means that there are many people on TikTok who can be reached through the app’s posts and stories but aren’t necessarily on Facebook or Twitter.
However, the biggest problem with TikTok as a news source is that it’s not clear who’s behind each video or whether it was made with any kind of editorial intent. One could come across something that looks like credible reporting and then find out later that it was actually just someone’s satire or parody (or even just nonsense).
One reporter even used TikTok to report from inside a burning building! This was such an amazing idea because it allowed people to see exactly what was happening without having to rely on pictures or videos taken from outside the building. Reporters can use social media platforms like TikTok to tell their stories in real-time instead of waiting until later when there isn’t anything important to say anymore.
The platform also allows you to create your own news stories by combining multiple clips or photos into one video. This makes it easy for anyone to present their own unique spin on current events without having to go through the hassle of editing video footage themselves.
Road ahead
For the last couple of years, I’ve been trying to figure out the future of mobile journalism. The road involves looking at how people like you and me interact with the news on our phones, but also at how social media platforms are changing the way we consume content and interact with each other. So, what does all of this mean for journalism? I think it shows that journalists are increasingly looking for ways to connect with their audience on social media. The trend of using TikTok is an example of how a platform can be used as a news source in creative and effective ways.
But we should also remember that it’s hard to do serious investigative reporting on TikTok, and the nature of the platform means there’s always pressure to make your content visually appealing over informative. That said, I’m excited because journalists can leverage TikTok to cover breaking news stories in real time without sacrificing accuracy or depth.
