Link: US adults on TikTok follow influencers and creators popular on social media but very few politicians, civic actors, or traditional media outlets and journalists (Pew Research Center)

A Pew Research Center analysis reveals that most TikTok users follow internet celebrities and entertainers over news or political figures. This reflects a preference for entertainment and pop culture content on the platform.

Researchers categorized the accounts followed by a representative group of U.S. adults based on their content. The majority are social media influencers and traditional celebrities, outweighing those of politicians and news outlets.

Despite TikTok's vast array of content, political material is observed less frequently. Only a small portion of the accounts followed by users regularly post about politics or current events.

Interestingly, accounts that do discuss politics often combine it with humor or entertainment. This blend suggests users prefer lighter, more engaging content even when exploring serious topics.

Comparing TikTok with other platforms like Twitter, the study found fewer news and political accounts among those most followed on TikTok. This emphasizes the platform's role as a source of entertainment rather than hard news.

Overall, the findings highlight a significant inclination towards entertainment on TikTok, showing that users engage with the platform primarily for fun and leisure. This trend is evident across all user demographics, regardless of age. #

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