title: TikTok vs. the Fourth Estate: Engagement With News on TikTok
abstract: In addition to content from accounts the user follows, TikTok frequently emphasizes content with similar subject matter to videos the user has previously liked. As long as a user has indicated an interest in the topic (most likely by engaging with a related video), they may see a TikTok about it despite not following anyone who has ever interacted with it. Consequently, political networks and communities do not always emerge around prominent figures like politicians or professional content creat