There are a multitude of events that occur in our personal lives and communities every day. It can be challenging to focus on events that take place out of sight. It can be even harder to remember these events at the end of the year, with the new year bringing a fresh start.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram provide an easy way for many to avoid this problem. For example, in 2025, there were 23 weather disasters in the United States, countless concerts, sporting events, political events, and more that hold importance to small groups of people across the country.

Social media platforms have made getting information quick and easy. Influencers help by posting monthly and yearly recaps where important information is compiled in a way that is easy to digest.

TikTok has made people less reliant on the news, and as a result, many news sources have struggled to compete with TikTok in the past couple of years. In the competition for viewers’ attention, both TikTok and news sources have different appeals.

TikTok provides quick, personalized news to its viewers that also touches on major events. Viewers can get constant information from one source or find out information about many different events in quick succession.

Official news platforms tend to veer away from the lighter topics that are common on TikTok and instead focus on intense issues, like wars or political happenings. But these sources are often more trustworthy than sources from social media, and go into greater detail.

TikTok is run by an algorithm meant to provide entertainment to its users, and sometimes the best way of providing entertainment is not by sharing the truth, but by spreading rumors.

Misinformation from TikTok is an issue that has been widely discussed, something that TikTok has said that they are working against, but is not an issue that they have openly acknowledged, instead stating that it is an issue that all platforms in the industry face.

Many officials have suggested a balance between getting news from TikTok and from official news sources. TikTok is a fun, easy way for users to get an idea of what is going on in the world, but the details should be obtained from an official news source.