Ankit Khanal, a sophomore at George Mason University, receives news predominantly through TikTok, particularly from Dylan Page, a UK-based influencer under the moniker “News Daddy.” Since launching his account in August 2020, Page has attracted over 1.5 billion likes through his engaging blend of breaking news, politics, and pop culture content, often presented with a characteristic enthusiastic tone. Although Page does not always cite sources in his videos, his information seems derived from a combination of traditional news outlets, social media, and other influencers.
Khanal, who studies computer science, expresses awareness of the influence of algorithms on media consumption. He has cautioned his peers about the potential harms algorithms may pose and acknowledges that he does not find TikTok a consistently reliable source. To verify information, he typically reviews the comment section for corrections on popular videos.
Despite his reservations about traditional journalism’s biases, he prefers news aggregators like News Daddy. A survey conducted by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab revealed that nearly 75% of college students consider social media a primary news source, with many trusting platforms like Instagram and TikTok for accurate information. The survey indicated that only 20% of students regularly cite newspapers as their news source, despite acknowledging that traditional media is more likely to provide accurate information.
Professor Karen North at USC notes similar trends; her students frequently report Instagram and TikTok as their main news sources. Other students, like Zau Lahtaw from Syracuse University, also mention being drawn to news conveyed in amusing formats, such as AI-generated characters delivering news.
This reliance on social media poses challenges; students often verify news through Google following initial exposure on platforms like TikTok. Khanal’s peers demonstrate a similar tendency, though most do not delve deeply into articles, often relying on AI-generated information. The urgency and immediate access offered by social platforms remain appealing, even as students acknowledge the risk of misinformation and the limitations of their media literacy practices.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/cs/features/818380/college-students-news-sources-tiktok-instagram-newsdaddy