TikTok > YouTube&Instagram
Ofcom’s latest report on UK news consumption reveals that the just for fun app is the most used news source across all platforms for teens, followed by YouTube and Instagram.

Why is it the most popular in the digital world?
TikTok’s popularity is due to a powerful algorithm that selects what people see on their screen, as well as an effective search function that has made the app a compelling platform for users of all ages. But is TikTok really useful, and why do scandalous cases with it persist?

According to the study, for kids aged 12-15, TikTok is now the most used single news source across all platforms at 28%, followed by YouTube and Instagram at 25% each. However, the BBC still has the largest reach of any news organization among this age group when all its news channels are taken into account – across BBC iPlayer, radio stations, websites and TV channels – 39%.

Traditional news sites now old fashioned?
According to Ofcom, 16 to 24 year olds are 30% more likely to consume news via social media on their phones than adults, and more likely to consume news online than adults. That is, young people in this age group are also less likely than adults to choose traditional news websites as their news source (6% vs. 26%) and more likely to turn to social media. For example, Instagram is the most used single news source for young people at 44%, although BBC One is tied with Facebook at 33%.

But that’s not all. The survey shows that TikTok as a news source has become more popular with adults, with one in 10 adults using it to follow the news, beating rivals BBC Radio 1 and Channel 5 for the first time.

A minute of fun in TikTok – more desirable than a minute of happiness in the real world?
For adults, the survey reveals that TV news is the most popular source, used by 70% of UK adults. For now, BBC One remains the most used news source across all platforms, followed by ITV. Both channels have declined over the last five years – BBC One by 62% and ITV by 41%. Similarly, Facebook has also declined over the same period. TikTok’s rapid evolution seems to be beating the competition, even if the original idea for the platform was just for fun. Today, TikTok is the dictator of the new generation, and despite the many scandalous cases around the world, it continues to conquer the digital world, and along with it, it is taking over the daily lives of users in the real world.

In a recent GQ profile, Cook reaffirmed his belief that incorporating digital elements into the real world can improve communication and connection between people.

He stressed that AR should be used to bring digital elements into the real world, not to bring people into digital spaces. He still maintains his view that people should not be encouraged to “live their whole lives” in a virtual world.

The vision laid out by Cook in the profile coincides with the launch of Apple’s new mixed reality headset, which will reportedly cost around $3,000 and prioritize “collaborative presence.”

The headsets will allow users to see and interact with digital elements in the real world. Cook explained to GQ that Apple is in no rush to develop the headset because the company wants to control the underlying technology to ensure innovation.

Cook also highlighted Apple’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its efforts to help people have better relationships with technology.

“My philosophy is that if you’re looking at the phone more than you’re looking into someone’s eyes, you’re doing something wrong.”

Cook said.

In the age of mixed reality, Apple aims to provide tools to help people spend more time in the real world and do more real things instead of spending their lives in the virtual world.

The tech giant has the mission and desire to differentiate itself from other tech companies that prioritize time spent staring at a phone or computer screen and digital experiences over real-world interaction. The company’s upcoming mixed-reality headset represents a significant opportunity for Apple to demonstrate how technology can enhance, not diminish, human connections.

Apple was expected to announce its mixed reality headset at this year’s WWDC conference. However, according to some reports, the company may not be ready for that just yet, and employees have expressed concern about compromises with the hardware and that the economic environment could lead to muted reception rather than the “iPhone moment” Apple is hoping for.

Apple is working on a second headset project that is designed solely for AR and will be similar to standard glasses that a user can wear throughout their day to complement the world around them. This project is still in its early stages and is expected to take at least a few years before it becomes technologically feasible.