Kenya is the world’s top TikTok user for news
A new report from the Reuters Institute Digital News Reports 2023 shows that Kenya is the world’s top TikTok user for news.
The report found that 54% of Kenyans use TikTok for any purpose, and 29% use it for news. This is significantly higher than the global average of 10%.
Other countries with high rates of TikTok news use include Thailand (30%), South Africa (22%), and Peru (30%).
The report suggests that TikTok is gaining ground in the distribution of news, particularly among younger audiences. This is likely due to the platform’s short-form videos, which are well-suited for sharing news stories.
The report also found that users of TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat tend to pay more attention to celebrities and social media influencers than media companies when it comes to news topics. This is in contrast to legacy social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, where news organizations still attract the most attention and lead conversations.
In terms of growth, TikTok remains the fastest-growing social network, with 44% of users using it. The platform is popular with 18-24 year olds, and is heavily used in parts of Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
The report also found that audiences continue to selectively avoid important stories, such as the cost of living, as they cut back on depressing news and seek to protect their mental health.
Key takeaways:
- Kenya is the world’s top TikTok user for news.
- TikTok is gaining ground in the distribution of news, particularly among younger audiences.
- Users of TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat tend to pay more attention to celebrities and social media influencers than media companies when it comes to news topics.
- TikTok remains the fastest-growing social network, and is popular with 18-24 year olds.
- Audiences continue to selectively avoid important stories, such as the cost of living.
