According to the most recent Reuters Institute Digital News report for 2023, Kenya has emerged as the global leader in TikTok usage.
According to the poll, the East African country accounts for 54% of TikTok usage worldwide, for a variety of objectives. Furthermore, 29% of TikTok usage in Kenya is devoted to news.
Thailand is second in TikTok usage, while South Africa ranks third, with 50% and 22% of usage for general purposes and news, respectively.
The report emphasizes TikTok’s growing impact as a news delivery channel, particularly among younger consumers.
Facebook, which has typically held the top spot, is experiencing a drop in popularity. In comparison to Facebook and Twitter users, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat users are more likely to follow celebrities and social media influencers for news-related material.
Despite this, Facebook and Twitter continue to dominate user attention and conversations on these older social networks.
According to the research, audiences tend to avoid news topics that they perceive to be unpleasant or anxiety-inducing in order to protect their mental health.
TikTok’s rapid growth continues, and it remains the fastest-growing social network, with 44% of users actively engaged with the platform. Notably, TikTok is extremely popular among people aged 18 to 24.