Syndicated radio host Glenn Beck said Tik Tok is quickly becoming the source of news in the United States. On Friday, he criticized the platform and warned his listeners that the algorithms for Chinese Tik Tok are significantly different from the American version.
According to Statista.com, in 2021, Tik Tok had approximately 86.9 million users in the United States.
“I’ve never seen anyone with a clue on Tik Tok,” said Beck. “The algorithm here shows us stupid people and shows us doing stupid things. The algorithm in China highlights young people doing amazing things.”
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance and was launched in 2017. A few years later. The Verge reported that the platform reached two billion downloads.
Beck stated that the Chinese government is intentionally shifting its algorithmic patterns to train Chinese consumers to think and demand better for themselves.
“Is there possibly a warning sign when 24 percent of young people get their news from Tik Tok?” Co-host Steve Burguiere aka Stu said. “Do you think that can have any negative consequences on our future?”
“People trust other people more than they trust the media. People feel like they want to get their news from someone like them, closest to the situation,” Beck added.
