UK Government Urged to Develop TikTok Strategy to Combat Misinformation

MPs have made it clear that the UK government has to develop a comprehensive TikTok policy to combat the spread of false information among UK youth, according to the cross-party culture, media, and sport (CMS) committee.

The CMS committee stressed the need for the UK government to adapt to youth-oriented applications and platforms that deviate from traditional news sources. A Friday report urged "trusted voices," such as scientists and medical professionals, to disseminate essential information and counteract the spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation online, according to The Guardian.

TikTok's representative supported the committee's suggestion for government participation on public social media sites in light of Ofcom data indicating that one in 10 children aged 12-15 years use TikTok as their main news source, while 71% of 16-24-year-olds use it in addition to traditional news sources.

Collaboration Across Sectors Needed to Beat Misinformation

Due to the rapid development of information sources, the committee emphasized the importance of a clear government strategy to interact with and adapt to younger demographics, particularly given the proliferation of new applications and platforms. Rebecca Skippage, BBC disinformation editor, emphasized the importance of broadcasters immersing themselves in social media and learning from misinformation experts to engage people.

Consumer advocate Martin Lewis testified that he used TikTok to combat falsehoods. The UK parliament banned TikTok from its network and official electronic devices due to its growing popularity. Despite these restrictions, Defense Secretary Grant Shapps admitted that he uses TikTok; however, his spokesperson confirmed that the official does not use government devices.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP, CMS Committee Chair, stressed the need for reliable and authoritative information to counteract social media disinformation.

"With social media misinformation still a problem, it's more important than ever that communities across the country have access to accurate and authoritative information communicated in an open and relatable way," Dinenage said.

Dame Dinenage also demanded clarification on the National Academies' public discourse role. She said that without clear government goals, judging their public engagement efficacy and value for money would be more challenging.

In this photo illustration, the TikTok app logo is displayed on an iPhone on February 28, 2023 in London, England.

The committee recommended the UK government use its vast expert pool, building on Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance's crucial involvement during the COVID-19 epidemic. This suggestion supports government openness and public confidence by providing policy evidence, especially in misinformation-prone areas.

TikTok Boosting Commitment to STEM Content in Europe

TechTimes previously reported that TikTok is expanding its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) stream to Europe, demonstrating its dedication to educational material. ThisTikTok strategy comes despite scrutiny in the US. and UK,

After a successful US launch last year, TikTok is launching its STEM channel in the UK and Ireland. This comes amid platform issues in the US and UK Reaffirming its commitment to educational material, TikTok wants to launch its STEM stream across Europe. The deployment will start in the UK and Ireland, spreading beyond the United States.

Under-18 users will receive the STEM feed immediately, along with the "For You" and "Following" feeds. The app's "content preferences" options allow adults to enable the STEM feed, making it accessible to more people. The STEM stream will mostly offer English videos with auto-translated subtitles.

Since its U.S. launch, 33% of TikTok users and a third of adolescents have visited its STEM stream weekly. Over the previous three years, the feed has increased American STEM content by 24% and posted approximately 15 million STEM films internationally.