With the rise of deepfakes, numerous ongoing national elections, and accusations of manipulating political opinions in the face of a potential ban of the platform in the U.S., disinformation is a contentious topic on TikTok.
But it might be more trusted than we expect.
Which social media platform is the most trusted by Americans?
In a new survey by the Pew Research Center, 10,000 U.S. adults were asked for their opinions on the four main social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok. Approximately 61% of US adults said they felt TikTok was influencing the news we are shown.
But by contrast, 66% said this of X, 72% said this of Instagram, and 74% said this of Facebook. This means that out of all the platforms, respondents felt that TikTok was the least likely to influence the news.
Further to this, out of all the social media apps, respondents report seeing inaccurate content on TikTok the least. This translates to 71% of people seeing inaccurate news on TikTok “sometimes” or “extremely or fairly often.” In comparison to 76% on Instagram, 84% on Facebook, and 86% on X.
So, while fake news and misinformation undoubtedly remain a problem on the platform, it’s arguably the lesser of (four?) evils.
But despite this, only TikTok is in danger of being shut down, with Biden signing a law that could potentially ban the app nationwide. To avoid this, the platform must sell its assets to a U.S. buyer. But whether that actually happens before the deadline is another question entirely.
