About 17% of all U.S. adults say they regularly get their news from TikTok, a new Pew Research Center reveals. This despite many American TikTok users not actively following journalists or news organizations on the platform.
TikTok’s News Ecosystem: A Blend of Influencers and Everyday Creators
Pew’s March 2024 study revealed that among U.S. adults who regularly consume news on TikTok, 68% receive information from influencers or celebrities, matching the 67% who get news from traditional media outlets or journalists. An even larger segment, 84%, obtains news from non-celebrity individuals unaffiliated with journalism or advocacy organizations.
The think tank’s content analysis, conducted in the summer of 2024, showed that 5% of followed accounts posted news-related content in their five most recent posts, while 10% shared political content.
However, the reach extends further: 41% of adult TikTok users follow at least five accounts that posted about news, and 53% follow five or more accounts that discussed politics during the study period.
Source: Pew Research Center
The research identified a hybrid content model where accounts frequently mix news with other topics. Of the accounts that covered news or politics, 43% also posted about entertainment and pop culture, while 36% included humorous content. Pew analysts believe this content mixing may explain why users encounter news even when not actively seeking it.
Users’ Age Shapes News Consumption Patterns
The platform’s demographic patterns reveal significant age-based differences in news consumption. Among adults under 30, 39% regularly get news on TikTok, compared to just 3% of those 65 and older. Similarly, 37% of users under 30 regularly consume news from news influencers across social platforms, versus 7% of those 65 and older.
Source: Pew-Knight Initiative
The Rise of News Influencers
The study defines news influencers as individuals with at least 100,000 followers who regularly post about current events and civic issues. Notably, 84% of news influencers on TikTok have no background in professional journalism.
User behavior analysis shows that entertainment remains the primary driver of TikTok usage, with 95% citing it as their reason for using the platform, while 41% mention news consumption as a motivation. The research indicates that news often appears in different formats than traditional media: 84% of users report seeing humorous posts about current events, and 80% encounter opinion posts about news.
Source: Pew-Knight Initiative
Algorithmic Distribution and Passive Consumption
The platform’s algorithm plays a significant role in news distribution. Among TikTok users who regularly get news from news influencers across social media, 28% report not following any news influencers, suggesting algorithmic recommendations contribute to news exposure.
Age differences extend to news-seeking behavior. About three-quarters of adults under 30 report encountering political news passively, while only a quarter actively seek it out. This contrasts with those 65 and older, where 60% actively pursue political news.
The research demonstrates that despite the low percentage of followed journalist accounts, TikTok users receive news through a diverse ecosystem of content creators, ranging from traditional media outlets to independent influencers and casual users who mix news coverage with entertainment content.
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
About 17% of all U.S. adults say they regularly get their news from TikTok, a new Pew Research Center reveals. This despite many American TikTok users not actively following journalists or news organizations on the platform.
TikTok’s News Ecosystem: A Blend of Influencers and Everyday Creators
Pew’s March 2024 study revealed that among U.S. adults who regularly consume news on TikTok, 68% receive information from influencers or celebrities, matching the 67% who get news from traditional media outlets or journalists. An even larger segment, 84%, obtains news from non-celebrity individuals unaffiliated with journalism or advocacy organizations.
The think tank’s content analysis, conducted in the summer of 2024, showed that 5% of followed accounts posted news-related content in their five most recent posts, while 10% shared political content.
However, the reach extends further: 41% of adult TikTok users follow at least five accounts that posted about news, and 53% follow five or more accounts that discussed politics during the study period.
Source: Pew Research Center
The research identified a hybrid content model where accounts frequently mix news with other topics. Of the accounts that covered news or politics, 43% also posted about entertainment and pop culture, while 36% included humorous content. Pew analysts believe this content mixing may explain why users encounter news even when not actively seeking it.
Users’ Age Shapes News Consumption Patterns
The platform’s demographic patterns reveal significant age-based differences in news consumption. Among adults under 30, 39% regularly get news on TikTok, compared to just 3% of those 65 and older. Similarly, 37% of users under 30 regularly consume news from news influencers across social platforms, versus 7% of those 65 and older.
Source: Pew-Knight Initiative
The Rise of News Influencers
The study defines news influencers as individuals with at least 100,000 followers who regularly post about current events and civic issues. Notably, 84% of news influencers on TikTok have no background in professional journalism.
User behavior analysis shows that entertainment remains the primary driver of TikTok usage, with 95% citing it as their reason for using the platform, while 41% mention news consumption as a motivation. The research indicates that news often appears in different formats than traditional media: 84% of users report seeing humorous posts about current events, and 80% encounter opinion posts about news.
Source: Pew-Knight Initiative
Algorithmic Distribution and Passive Consumption
The platform’s algorithm plays a significant role in news distribution. Among TikTok users who regularly get news from news influencers across social media, 28% report not following any news influencers, suggesting algorithmic recommendations contribute to news exposure.
Age differences extend to news-seeking behavior. About three-quarters of adults under 30 report encountering political news passively, while only a quarter actively seek it out. This contrasts with those 65 and older, where 60% actively pursue political news.
The research demonstrates that despite the low percentage of followed journalist accounts, TikTok users receive news through a diverse ecosystem of content creators, ranging from traditional media outlets to independent influencers and casual users who mix news coverage with entertainment content.
Read the full report here.