Pulse on TikTok

Pulse on TikTok Studying the mysteries and influence of TikTok amid the 2024 U.S. Elections

Background TikTok may be the most consequential, least understood media platform in America.

The Weber Shandwick Collective’s (TWSC) groundbreaking multi-modal research on U.S. TikTok users and creators seeks to change that.

About half of all Americans — 170 million people — consume content on TikTok, according to the platform itself. But the fact that no two people’s “For You” content feed looks exactly the same, with no need to have a single friend in the network, makes it difficult to understand how it is curated or its place in American media.

A well-documented lack of data available for studying the platform makes it even more challenging to understand its role in shaping public opinion and debate on current events, politics and social issues.

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Five days of diary entries from 30 American TikTok users across a spectrum of political beliefs and ages, including approximately nine hours of screen recordings of their TikTok scrolling behavior.

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In-depth interviews with 12 TikTok creators, including four with more than 1 million followers.

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A survey of 367 Americans who use TikTok more than a few times per week.

To shed new light, TWSC learned directly from TikTok users and creators. This first-of-its kind study combines qualitative and quantitative insights from both TikTok users and creators, including:

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Executive Summary

be false or misleading. Several implied that the

Comments are king: A majority of our panelists said they read the comments on TikTok videos at least some of the time, and about one-quarter said they read them “all the time.” Creators also acknowledged the importance of reading and engaging in the comments but said it can tax their

presence of false or misleading information

mental health.

Key Findings n

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Mis- and disinformation are expected, accepted: Most TikTok users in our panel, across the political spectrum, said they are aware that the content they see on TikTok can

is less of a problem and more of a benefit; it signals that TikTok is connecting them to

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TikTok is where news breaks: People from across the political spectrum in our panel said that it’s often a TikTok video that first alerts them to major news or trending political debates. “I hear stuff in TikTok, and then two weeks later the giant news outlets finally cover it,” remarked one 22-year-old female panelist who identifies as a political Independent. Our survey results validated this phenomenon: 77% of users said TikTok is where they first learn about news on political or social subjects at least some of the time.

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First-person video imparts credibility: When the people in our panel saw news,

the “real” world. Our research also suggests that people explicitly go to TikTok in search of counternarratives. As one panelist, a 21-yearold female identifying as a firm Democrat, put it, “I feel like it’s more realistic and tells the actual truth rather than the sugarcoating and what the government/leaders want us to hear.

I am learning things and not just...accepting what is being told to me.” n

Many express confidence in their ability to spot misleading information and do their own fact-checking: Many panelists acknowledged there is mis- and disinformation on TikTok. But they expressed

it was frequently a raw, self-produced, firstperson video from a source appearing to be a peer user or independent creator — not a professional news organization like The New York Times, NBC or FOX News. Many Democrats, Independents and Republicans in our group agreed: News on TikTok “feels real” because it gives them an “unfiltered” connection to current events and their peers’ perspectives on current events.

confidence in their ability to discern fact from fiction by employing techniques such as reading comments or using TikTok search to investigate claims. 

We asked users in our survey, “What is the first thing you do if you question whether something you see in a video is true or not?”

After searching the web, the most common behaviors were on-platform (scanning the comments and searching on TikTok), outpacing “visiting a fact-check site” or “asking a friend.”

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“For You” reinforces pre-conceived notions: The sensitivity of the “For You”

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algorithm means that TikTokers consume information that bolsters their pre-existing points of view. The platform provides them with “talking points” on issues they care about. 

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Both Democrats and Republicans in our panel said TikTok almost exclusively shows them political and social issues content that reinforces their ideology. As one Democrat in our panel put it, “Most content I see aligns with my values and beliefs and simply adds to conversation in ways I had not encountered before.”

This dynamic seems widespread: More than 70% of American users in our survey said TikTok “knows you or your interests” well or very well.

Creators said they see the same dynamic from in front of the camera, and they value it: Many we spoke to said they are more comfortable being their “true selves” on TikTok than other social platforms because the algorithm is more effective at finding audiences predisposed to like or agree with them.

to agree with you. Use it to maximize your advantage by focusing strategy and effort on recruiting and activating allies versus alternative goals like persuading the “movable middle” or neutralizing detractors. n

Be a partner and resource to creators: Find like-minded creators and arm them with evidence and talking points that promote your viewpoint. They also know their audience and don’t want to find themselves on “the wrong side” of TikTok. Give them space to offer feedback and adapt your message so it lands, and manage expectations about their ability to be effective on issues they aren’t very close to.

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Don’t ignore the comments section: While there are no view metrics for comments, reading them is such a common behavior that it is clear this is an opportunity for influence. Engage with them proactively, whether you are correcting the record or raising the visibility of an idea.

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But engage with comments cautiously: Many comments are strictly performative, because it’s clear there is attention to be gained. Other comments can be genuine but combative. While the algorithm excels at matching video content with people that will like it, it’s still possible for adversaries to find and infiltrate the comments section.

A detailed protocol for engagement in the comments on your own TikTok videos or videos posted by others is a must.

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Interrogate the sourcing and substance of insights about TikTok: Embrace multimodal research and insights approaches to gain a clearer understanding of the

Implications for Communications Strategies n

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Don’t expect a trickle-down effect: Don’t wait for your news or communications to organically spread from legacy news outlets to TikTok. Set the tone and framing of your news and information by breaking it on TikTok with a spectrum of creators sympathetic to your point of view.

Make it personal: Consider mimicking the raw, “unfiltered” aesthetic when you show up on the platform with your own content.

Prioritize ally activation: TikTok’s “For You” algorithm has an uncanny ability to find and activate individuals already predisposed

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platform. Consult with experts to build an ecosystem of data suppliers and analytical methodologies that give consistent foresight into risks and opportunities on TikTok.

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Introduction

TikTok may be the most consequential, least understood media platform in America.

Almost half of all Americans — 170 million people — consume content on TikTok. But the shapeshifting nature of TikTok’s platform — the fact that no two people’s “For You” pages (FYP) look exactly the same — makes it exceedingly hard to understand its role in the American media ecosystem. A well-documented dearth of data available for studying the platform further complicates understanding its impacts.

ALMOST

170M

AMERICANS CONSUME CONTENT ON TIKTOK

MALE, 25, LEAN REPUBLICAN “It’s not like the only content I see is political. But one thing I will say is that TikTok information is much more useful and to a degree more honest/raw than other social media/news outlets.”

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Recent survey research and content analysis have started to illustrate the popularity of the platform and some insights on how certain topics are represented. But there has been no research simultaneously studying the perspectives and experiences of both TikTok creators and TikTok users as they pertain to American news, politics and the platform itself.

Our first-of-its-kind study, developed in consultation with leading academics and our own experts at KRC Research, eschewed the temptation to simulate users by programming bots or infer insights from data scraped from TikTok. Instead, we heard directly from American TikTok users and creators themselves in a three-part, multi-modal study.

We first engaged a panel of 30 American users from across the political spectrum, who, in addition to giving us detailed testimonials about their relationship with TikTok, shared hours of screen-recorded footage of their FYP.

FEMALE, 46, REPUBLICAN “I trust mainstream news less than I trust the people on TikTok.”

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Our Panel of TikTok Users POLITICAL PARTY

AGE

Firmly Republican

5

Lean Republican

7

Independent

6

Lean Democrat

7

Firmly Democrat

5

SWING STATE (PA, NC, AZ)

10

18–24

8

25–34

12

35–44

5

45–54

5

PARENTS OF CHILDREN <18

13

EDUCATION LEVEL

TIKTOK USE (HRS/WEEK)

High School Graduate

5

<5 hrs

1

Some College

7

6–10 hrs

8

College Graduate

8

10–20 hrs

12

Post-Graduate Coursework

10

20+ hrs

9

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

GENDER

NON-WHITE

<$25,000

5

Male

11

<$25,000 – $49,999

7

Female

17

<$50,000 – $79,999

7

Non-Binary

2

<$75,000 – $99,999

3

<$100,000 – $124,999

3

<$125,000 – $149,999

1

<$150,000

4

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15

INFORMED PUBLIC High Information

11

Mid Information

17

Low Information

2

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About Some of Our Panelists

Age: 37

Age: 46

Location: Washington, PA

Location: Graham, NC

Gender: Male

Gender: Female

Education: College graduate

Education: Post-graduate coursework

Employment Status: Full time (30 hours +)

Employment Status: Homemaker

Race/Ethnicity: White

Race/Ethnicity: White

Household Composition: With partner/ spouse + child

Household Composition: With partner/ spouse + child

Household Income: $75,000–$99,999

Household Income: $50,000–$74,999

Political Preference: Lean Republican

Political Preference: Republican

Age: 23

Age: 22

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Location: Jefferson, PA

Gender: Non-binary

Gender: Female

Education: College graduate

Education: Some college

Employment Status: Full time (30 hours +)

Employment Status: Student

Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latinx

Race/Ethnicity: White

Household Composition: Single

Household Composition: With parent(s)

Household Income: $50,000–$74,999

Household Income: $25,000–$49,999

Political Preference: Firmly Democrat

Political Preference: Independent

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We also conducted in-depth interviews with 12 TikTok influencers (or “creators,” as they are called) from across the political spectrum. The panel included representatives from various age groups and regions of the U.S., as well as four individuals with more than 1 million followers. All have previously worked with brands on TikTok in a paid capacity and consider TikTok to be a critical part of their creator monetization strategy.

Meet the TikTok Creators

Microinfluencer, 29 NYC 10k followers

Microinfluencer, 33 Iowa 19k followers

Microinfluencer, 30 Virginia 10k followers

Macroinfluencer, 32 Wisconsin 605k followers

Macroinfluencer, 30 Nebraska 500k followers

Microinfluencer, 35 Georgia 61k followers

Macroinfluencer, 41 Rochester, NY 3.1M followers

Macroinfluencer, 29 North Carolina 650k followers

Macroinfluencer, 29 Orlando, Florida 1.1M followers

Macroinfluencer, 25 Brooklyn 1.5M followers

Macroinfluencer, 30 Miami 1.3M followers

Microinfluencer, 47 Missouri 10k followers

Last, we supplemented our qualitative research with quantitative data from an online survey of 367 U.S. adults who use TikTok a few times a week.

This “over the shoulder” look into the world of TikTok users reveals a highly personal space where the platform’s design choices and recommendation algorithm appear to be shaping political views and perspectives in surprising ways.

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FEMALE, 47, DEMOCRAT “I like the information that it gives me, and I love that it knows what I want.”

MALE, 25, REPUBLICAN “I use TikTok for a streamlined way of getting information about today’s news, as it’s quicker to watch a video than to read.”

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A Brief Primer on TikTok

TikTok is a video sharing app that has more than 1 billion users globally. According to our research, about 40% of Americans use it a few times a week or more.

The app was created in 2017 by Chinese company ByteDance as the global variant of another China-focused video sharing application it owned called Douyin. In 2017, ByteDance also acquired Musical.ly, a lip sync video app popular with American teenagers, for $1 billion USD. Musical.ly was then merged into TikTok in 2018.

One of TikTok’s core innovations is the hyper-personalized “For You” content recommendation algorithm. The algorithm is exceptionally sensitive to user behavior and determines the content shown on the primary feed of the user experience, known as the “For You” page (FYP). It examines user likes, comments and watch histories to inform what

1 billion PEOPLE USE TIKTOK GLOBALLY

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Another unique aspect is that a new user to TikTok doesn’t need to know anyone else on the platform to get value from it. Unlike early social networks that rely on replicating “reallife” social connections to friends and family, logging into TikTok for the first time is more akin to the first login to a subscription video on-demand streaming platform. The user is confronted by a nearly endless supply of content, and the algorithm begins learning the user’s preferences and interests based on what they watch and interact with.

Over the years, TikTok videos have grown longer. In 2017, video length was limited to a maximum of 60 seconds. As of October 2023, certain creators are now allowed to upload videos as long as 15 minutes.

40%

MUSICAL.LY MERGED INTO

OF AMERICANS USE TIKTOK A FEW TIMES A WEEK OR MORE

THE APP WAS CREATED IN 2017 BY CHINESE COMPANY

ByteDance

videos to show. Previous reporting has shown that millisecond-long pauses over content can shape what the algorithm recommends.

TikTok

VIDEOS CAN NOW LAST AS LONG AS

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Key Elements of the TikTok User Experience

The “Following” tab is where users can go to see videos from the users they follow on TikTok.

This indicates that a user is on TikTok’s “For You” page (FYP), where algorithmically recommended content apprears. Every user’s FYP looks different based on the content the algorithm has determined they’re likely to engage with.

Clicking the heart icon gives the video a “like.”

Swiping up allows users to move on to the next video.

Clicking this speech bubble opens up the comments section — for this post, 59,200 comments have gone up so far.

Bookmarking the video saves it to “Favorites” for future reference.

This is where users can see the name of the user who posted the video they’re viewing.

The “Friends” feed features posts from followers users follow back and other suggested accounts.

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Users view direct messages (DMs) from other TikTokers in the “Inbox.”

This arrow allows users to share this post with people either within the app or via other messaging tools like iMessage and WhatsApp — or use this video as the jumpingoff point to create new TikTok content via “stitches,” “duets,” etc.

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Key Findings

Mis- and disinformation are expected, accepted Across the political spectrum, most TikTok users in our panel said they are aware that the content they see on TikTok can be false or misleading.

FEMALE, 39, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT “The drive for more content means things may be posted without full details/context, and the algorithm may surface videos out of order, so you see old videos when newer information is already available.”

FEMALE, 26, DEMOCRAT “I don’t like how there isn’t a community notes disclaimer you could add, like on Twitter. TikTok can be filled with misinformation and it’s hard to correct it if people just post about news that’s not actually true.”

FEMALE, 21, LEAN DEMOCRAT “I would say the disadvantage is that you have to fact-check it a little bit, because some people will just say whatever they think is happening or they’ll be biased because of their own opinions, and so you still have to fact-check it a little bit before 100% going with what they’re saying.”

Several even implied that the presence of false or misleading information is less of a problem and more of a benefit; it signals that TikTok is connecting them to the “real” world where facts are debated.

Our research also suggests that people explicitly go to TikTok in search of counternarratives. As one firm Democrat in our panel put it, “I feel like it’s more realistic and tells the actual truth rather than the sugarcoating and what the government/leaders want us to hear. I am learning things and not just accepting what is being told to me.”

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Many express confidence in their ability to spot misleading information and do their own fact-checking Many panelists said they know they need to take a proactive stance towards vetting the information they’re seeing on TikTok. Some were also able to compare and contrast TikTok’s user experience and verification tools with other platforms’ tools.

About half of our panelists said they have seen AI-generated videos. Some find them easy to detect while others need to rely on AI tags and callouts in the comments. One said they had previously fallen for an AI “scam.”

FEMALE, 49, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT “I think the biggest disadvantage is not being able to source check where the news and information is coming from. If it is from a creator that is legitimate. The ones that I follow, I don’t validate much because they will put up data or links on the screen and show studies with actual data. That could obviously be falsified. The ones that I follow just feel more like facts.”

MALE, 33, INDEPENDENT “You can tell a bit by the movement of the person talking, it looks a bit unnatural and not human-like that is how I tell. I try to pay attention to the way the mouth moves as the words come out, but sometimes it can be a bit challenging.”

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ABOUT

50%

OF OUR PANELISTS HAVE SEEN AI-GENERATED VIDEOS

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FEMALE, 22, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT

NON-BINARY, 21, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT “You have to fact-check everything first.”

Most of all, TikTok users see TikTok itself as a tool for informing those judgments, primarily through reading comments on videos or using TikTok search.

We asked users in our survey, “What is the first thing you do if you question whether something you see in a video is true or not?” After searching the web, the most common behaviors were on-platform (scanning the comments and searching on TikTok), outpacing “visiting a fact-check site” or “asking a friend.” That means TikTok itself is often used as a fact-checking tool: Users scan comments on videos and use the search feature to undertake fact-checking and research on other TikTok videos.

If you question something you see in a TikTok video, what is THE FIRST STEP you usually take to decide if it is true or not? Americans using TikTok at least a few times a week (n=367) ALL TIKTOK USERS

GEN Z (18–27)

MILLENNIALS (28–43)

GEN X (44–59)

Search using Google, Bing or another search engine

33%

35%

31%

34%

Check on a fact-check site

17%

18%

18%

16%

Scan TikTok comments

13%

15%

13%

13%

Search using TikTok

11%

8%

13%

13%

Ask a friend

10%

11%

11%

6%

Check on ChatGPT or another AI assistance

5%

6%

8%

1%

I don’t check the accuracy of TikTok

9%

7%

4%

14%

Something else

2%

0%

1%

2%

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Comments are king A majority of our panelists said they read the comments on TikTok videos at least some of the time and about one-quarter said they read them “all the time.” We also frequently observed our panelists clicking into the comments section in the screen recordings they shared.

Panelists’ engagement with comments

All the time

Most of the time

Some of the time

8

11

10

1

3

13

How often do you scroll/read comments on TikTok videos?

Not that often

Never

1

12

1

How often do you leave comments on TikTok videos?

The comments section and the spirited debates it contains may be one of TikTok’s most important and influential features. The information people gather from reading the comments is often just as interesting to users as the information relayed in the original video, implying that the influence of any TikTok video is only partially measured by its content and reach. The comments section is where people go to learn more, fact-check claims, make jokes and attempt to make sense of what they’ve seen.

MALE, 37, REPUBLICAN “I definitely turn to the comments to learn more about the videos and see if someone indicates that it’s all made up or something like that. So, I definitely turn to those comments pretty quickly.”

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Creators also acknowledged the importance of reading and engaging in the comments but said doing so can tax their mental health.

MACROINFLUENCER, 29, NORTH CAROLINA “To protect my peace, as much as I do read through my comments, I kind of scan through my comments versus taking time to actually internalize everything because there are a lot of racist people.

I feel like sometimes if I read the wrong comment, it can kind of ruin my day. So I gotta just have to, like, protect my energy in that way.”

MACROINFLUENCER, 32, IOWA “I tried to not post things that will get a bunch of negative comments because I know that does impact my sanity reading all of those.”

MACROCREATOR, 30, MIAMI “Every now and then, even just a video of me and my fiancé will end up on the ‘wrong side.’ We call it the ‘wrong side of TikTok’ when we’re like, wait a second, these comments don’t look normal.”

MALE, 40, FIRMLY REPUBLICAN

MALE, 22, LEAN DEMOCRAT

MICROINFLUENCER, 29, NYC “And just from a mental health perspective, like, I don’t know if I can go through the comments of everyone disagreeing with me.”

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TikTok is where news breaks People from across the political spectrum in our panel said that it’s a TikTok video that first alerts them to major news or trending political debates. Our survey results validated this phenomenon: 77% of TikTok users said it is where they first learn about news on political or social subjects at least some of the time.

How much of the content you watch on TikTok is related to news and information about political and/or social issues? Americans using TikTok at least

FEMALE, 22, INDEPENDENT “Honestly, TikTok is my main source of news. The reason being because it’s the most updated. I hear stuff in TikTok, and then two weeks later the giant news outlets finally cover it.”

a few times a week (n=367)

ALL TIKTOK USERS Less than 10%

31%

10% to 29%

30%

30% to 49%

20%

50% or more

14%

Don’t know

4%

FEMALE, 49, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT “I use it to learn about current events. So, it’s weird that, you know, it’s something that I use to completely calm down and just disconnect from the world, yet it’s a big connection to the world.”

How often is TikTok the first place you learn about news and information about political and/or social issues? Americans using TikTok at least a few times a week (n=367) ALL TIKTOK USERS

GEN Z (18–27)

MILLENNIALS (28–43)

GEN X (44–59)

All or most of the time

36%

51%

39%

25%

Some of the time

41%

37%

42%

43%

Never

20%

12%

19%

24%

Don’t know

3%

0%

1%

9%

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First-person video imparts credibility When the people in our panel saw news, it was frequently a raw, self-produced, first-person video from a source appearing to be a peer user or independent creator — not a professional news organization like The New York Times, NBC or FOX News. Many Democrats, Independents and Republicans in our group agreed: News on TikTok “feels real” because it gives them an “unfiltered” connection to current events and their peers’ perspectives on current events.

The fact that the source is not a professional news organization is considered a key benefit of consuming news on TikTok. This dynamic seems to be reflected in the relatively low number of followers that many legacy news organizations hold on TikTok. For example, The New York Times launched its official TikTok account in January 2023 and it currently has about 781,000 followers. The Times has about 55 million followers on X, 18 million on Instagram, 4 million on YouTube and 152,000 on a Telegram channel it launched following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

FEMALE, 46, REPUBLICAN

FEMALE, 22, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT

FEMALE, 22, INDEPENDENT

“I hate watching actual news. It is false reporting and fear mongering.

Many times when I see a creator saw something that’s happening, they are actually experiencing what’s not even being reported by mainstream news.”

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“For You” knows what users like, reinforces pre-conceived notions When asked, our panelists nearly universally agreed that the algorithm “knows them” and their interests well or very well. Most were also able to offer explanations about how the algorithm works.

Many believe that the TikTok algorithm shows them content based on how they interact with videos, especially the time they spend watching them. A few believe the algorithm is influenced by activity outside the TikTok app, including what they search on other platforms and what their phone “hears” them saying.

How well does TikTok’s “For You” page know about you and your interests?

FEMALE, 21, LEAN DEMOCRAT

FEMALE, 22, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT

Americans using TikTok at least a few times a week (n=367)

ALL TIKTOK USERS Extremely well

30%

Well

43%

Not very well

10%

Not well at all

10%

Don’t know

7%

FEMALE, 24, DEMOCRAT “What keeps me coming back to using an app is definitely the algorithm. It always constantly shows me stuff that I want to see.“

MALE, 37, LEAN REPUBLICAN “I think mainly influenced by what I spend time watching.”

MALE, 33, FIRMLY REPUBLICAN “I think it’s a combination of factors from people you follow, to past likes and the AI system trying to predict which content you will most enjoy.”

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It appears that the “For You” algorithm is aware of humans’ natural inclination to prefer information that comports with their previously held beliefs. That would mean that when it comes to political or social issues, the algorithm’s uncanny ability to predict what users “want” results in TikTokers primarily consuming information that bolsters their pre-existing point of view.

NON-BINARY, 23, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT

FEMALE, 22, FIRMLY DEMOCRAT

FEMALE, 47, DEMOCRAT “I don’t feel that it’s forcing anything.

The algorithm knows that I am a Democrat and left-leaning in my beliefs just like it knows I love to travel.

It shows me a lot of content aligning with that. The political pages I follow are reputable news sources and give accurate information on the political arena.”

MALE, 37, LEAN REPUBLICAN “I don’t think they are forcing anything. I feel they can tell which way I lean so they are showing me more topics that I am finding interesting.”

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We asked our panel to describe a time that content on TikTok changed their mind. Most acknowledged that it hadn’t, and some explained that the platform is essentially providing them with “talking points” on issues they care about.

Creators see the same dynamic from the front of the camera and value it. Many we spoke to said they are more comfortable being their “true selves” on TikTok than other social platforms because the algorithm is more effective at finding audiences predisposed to like or agree with them.

MACROINFLUENCER, 32, WISCONSIN “If you post a very cringey video on TikTok, then people will comment, ‘Post this on Instagram Reels,’ because they know that you’re going to get eaten alive on Instagram.”

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MICROINFLUENCER, 29, NYC “I feel like on TikTok, if people are calling you out, they’re almost doing it in a funny or lighthearted way. But when [Instagram] Reels go viral, people will say, ‘You look so ugly, blah blah blah.’

And I’m thinking, this is not the point of the video!”

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Implications for Communications Strategies

For most regular users of TikTok, the app is

integrated into their lives — it’s where they go to laugh, learn and relax during downtime through­out the day. Our study revealed that for many, it’s also an incredibly influential space that shapes their opinion on candidates, policies and current events in idiosyncratic and hard-to-see ways.

This has implications for any organization or cause looking to protect or grow support for their positions. TikTok is not just another channel to deliver messaging. It is a hub for public discourse, where ideas, news and narratives are shared, remixed and discussed in easy-to-understand, bite-size videos.

Authenticity is often bolstered by a visceral, raw aesthetic and attention is mediated by the “For You” algorithm.

Far from dismissing TikTok as a platform purely for entertainment, organizations of all kinds must embrace the complexity of TikTok, its anti-establishment “vibes” and its burgeoning centrality to the information ecosystem to communicate effectively in today’s modern media environment.

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Considerations for any institution or organization looking to communicate effectively on TikTok: n

Don’t expect a trickle-down effect: Don’t wait for your news or communications to organically spread from legacy news outlets to TikTok. Set the tone and framing of your news and information by breaking it on TikTok with a spectrum of creators sympathetic to your point of view.

n

Don’t ignore the comments section: While there are no view metrics for comments, reading them is such a common behavior that it is clear this is an opportunity for influence. Engage with them proactively, whether you are correcting the record or raising the visibility of an idea.

n

Make it personal: Consider mimicking the raw, “unfiltered” aesthetic when you show up on the platform with your own content.

n

n

Prioritize ally activation: TikTok’s “For You” algorithm has an uncanny ability to find and activate individuals already predisposed to agree with you. Use it to maximize your advantage by focusing strategy and effort on recruiting and activating allies versus alternative goals like persuading the “movable middle” or neutralizing detractors.

But engage with comments cautiously: Many comments are strictly performative, because it’s clear there is attention to be gained. Other comments can be genuine but combative. While the algorithm excels

n

Be a partner and resource to creators: Find like-minded creators and arm them with evidence and talking points that promote your viewpoint. They also know their audience and don’t want to find themselves on “the wrong side” of TikTok. Give them space to offer feedback and adapt your message so it lands, and manage expectations about their ability to be effective on issues they aren’t very close to.

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at matching video content with people that will like it, it’s still possible for adversaries to find and infiltrate the comments section.

A detailed protocol for engagement in the comments on your own TikTok videos or videos posted by others is a must. n

Interrogate the sourcing and substance of insights about TikTok: Embrace multimodal research and insights approaches to gain a clearer understanding of the platform. Consult with experts to build an ecosystem of data suppliers and analytical methodologies that give consistent foresight into risks and opportunities on TikTok.

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Methodology

The Weber Shandwick Collective set out to address an overarching challenge: TikTok is a highly influential platform, but it’s also a surprisingly large blind spot for the research community.

TikTok provides little data for analysis, and when it does, those data sets can be subject to terms of service that impede meaningful analysis and research on the platform. What’s more, there are few ways to automatically extract or “scrape” data to unlock insight about how the platform is being used or what content it serves up to its users.

As a result, very little research has been produced that can help explain TikTok’s role in shaping public opinion and debate on current events, politics and social issues.

Consulting with leading academics and our own experts at KRC Research, we devised a novel approach to advance a growing knowledge base around TikTok. In doing so, the following questions were foremost on our minds as we considered where we needed to fill in the knowledge gaps:

How do political and social issues show up in the feeds of American TikTok users?

How is that different for Democrats, Republicans and Independents?

What is the relationship between the comments section and viewers?

What does a “typical” scroll through a “For You” feed look like?

Do users understand how the algorithm works? What is their relationship with it?

How do users react if they’re unsure whether claims made in videos are true?

What do creators themselves think about politics and issues on the platform?

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Our multi-modal research approach included three essential elements:

Part One In part one, we devised an “over the shoulder” approach to see how content is being fed through TikTok. This relied on an ethnographyinspired method that allowed us to meet TikTok users where they were most at home and likely to interact with us — on their mobile devices.

After an initial call to participate, we selected 30 Americans with diverse backgrounds, including varying levels of TikTok use, political affiliations/beliefs (Republicans, Democrats and Independents) and from different regions of the country.

The study spanned five days, allowing respondents to share their “in the moment” experiences and participate in a way that was more reflective of how they normally interact with TikTok. During this time, they used their mobile phone to provide video testimonials, capture daily screen shares of their TikTok scrolling, post images/videos/memes related to issues and topics that mattered to them and respond to our questions about their relationship with the TikTok algorithm, creators and fellow users.

Part Two Part two focused on the creator perspective for yet another vantage point on the TikTok experience. We conducted in-depth interviews with 12 TikTok creators from across the political spectrum, age groups and regions of the U.S. Our creators included both microinfluencers with less than 10,000 followers and macro­ influencers with more than 1 million followers.

In these one-on-one interviews, we talked about how creators use the TikTok algorithm to amplify their own views about political and societal issues, their relationship with the user comments section and how TikTok culture compares to that of other social media platforms like Instagram or X.

Part Three Part three included a set of survey questions — with 367 American adult respondents who use TikTok at least a few times a week — to validate how often the app is their first stop for news, how much TikTok content is focused on political and/or social issues and the steps taken, if any, to determine whether or not something on TikTok is true.

For more information, please contact:

Meghann Curtis

John Files

Co-Lead, North America Public Affairs mcurtis@webershandwick.com

Co-Lead, North America Public Affairs jfiles@powelltate.com

The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC) would like to acknowledge and thank Claire Wardle, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Cornell University’s Department of Communications, for her integral contributions to this research. A globally renowned expert in the interconnected fields of misinformation, verification and user generated content, Dr. Wardle co-founded First Draft, a non-profit working on solutions associated with trust and truth in the digital age, and co-founded and co-directed the Information Futures Lab at Brown University’s School of Public Health. She is a TWSC Senior Advisor.

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