Chinese-owned social media app TikTok is now the most popular single source of news across all platforms for young teens, an Ofcom report has found.
Findings show the video-sharing app, which linked to the Chinese government, is the predominant news source for 28 per cent of 12 to 15 year olds.
This represents a nearly three-fold increase from 2020, when Ofcom data shows that TikTok was the main news source for only 11 per cent of the same age group.
Iain Duncan Smith, a senior Conservative MP, who has been sanctioned by the Chinese government for decrying alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Said the development was “immensely dangerous” because TikTok is “under the control of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]”.
“This will now be a very useful resource to use as a propaganda tool to their advantage”
However, eight per cent of this cohort preferred to browse ‘serious things going on in the UK’ (8 per cent). And news about ‘animals or the environment’ (nine per cent).
While the findings show that TikTok has for the first time emerged as the most popular single news source among 12 to 15 year olds.
It outstripped by the BBC when all news content across its platforms taken into account. This collectively have the highest reach of any news organisation among this age group (39 per cent).