The Conversation – February 14, 2025
The last time you scrolled through the “For You” page on TikTok, did you come across a video about current events? Politics? Breaking news?
Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch is an associate professor of communication technology and explains three crucial things to know about the news you see on TikTok: What videos count as news, how they got to you, and what you should do when you see them.
It is important to know the source of your news and information, especially in our technologically advanced world. “Unlike in the past, when more of our news came from mainstream media – such as reading the same city newspaper or watching the same local news – now we may not know what news someone else is getting. If you see a lot of content about the same topic, that’s likely because of the algorithm customizing your feed, not necessarily because it’s the most important topic in the news.” Oeldorf-Hirsch says.
Read more about Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch’s research and insight on The Conversation.