.jpeg)
In today’s world, getting news is as easy as scrolling through TikTok. With just a few swipes, you can see videos of real-time events, opinions and even breaking news. Sounds great, right? But here’s the problem — not everything we see online is true.
With citizen journalists, everyday people capturing and posting news — taking over social media, ethical journalism is taking a backseat. In Malaysia, more and more people are relying on TikTok for news because it’s fast, easy and right in their hands. But when news is shared without proper fact-checking, misinformation spreads, and that’s where things get dangerous.
Why Is Tiktok News A Problem?
TikTok news is popular because it’s short, fast, and visually engaging. Unlike traditional news that takes time to research, verify, and report, TikTok videos are posted within minutes of an event happening. While this allows people to see things unfold in real-time, it also means that a lot of the information is unverified.
A study from Taylor's University highlights that citizen journalists don’t follow strict news policies. They share different perspectives through videos, photos, and podcasts, but without professional fact-checking, the accuracy of their reports can be questionable. (Power of the People: Citizen Journalism and News Democratisation | Taylor’s University. (2024). Taylor’s University.)
On top of that, social media algorithms push content that gets the most engagement, meaning the more shocking or dramatic a video is, the more people will see it. But is it true? That’s another story. A report found that TikTok’s search results are often filled with misinformation, making it harder for people to separate facts from fake news. (Mail, M. (2022, September 15). Report: TikTok search results rife with misinformation. Malay Mail ; Malay Mail.)
How It’s Affecting Malaysia’s News Industry
In Malaysia, traditional news sources are struggling to compete with the speed and accessibility of TikTok. People now prefer to get updates from influencers or random videos instead of verified news outlets. But when these sources share unverified content, it can mislead the public and create unnecessary panic.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reported a 24-fold increase in harmful content on social media, showing just how serious the problem has become. (The Star Online. (2023, December 16). MCMC records 24-fold increase in harmful social media content. The Star.)
Recently, 18 Malaysian TikTok news accounts were removed due to concerns over unverified reports about the Batang Kali case. This is proof that even platforms struggle to manage misinformation. (Leong, A. (2025, February 24). 18 Malaysian News’ TikTok Accounts Suddenly Disappear—Here’s What We Know. TRP; TheRakyatPost.)
How Can We Fix This?
- Teach People to Spot Fake News: Not everything on social media is true. Malaysians need to learn how to check sources, question headlines, and verify facts before believing or sharing news to any individual.
- Stronger Rules for Social Media: Platforms like TikTok need to take misinformation more seriously. Clear rules and fact-checking systems should be in place to stop false news from spreading out.
- Support Reliable News Outlets: Traditional news may not be as fast, but it is backed by research and ethical standards. Malaysians should still turn to credible sources when they need accurate information.
- Encourage Responsible Content Creation: If people want to share news, they should do it responsibly. Training programs for citizen journalists can help them understand the importance of fact-checking.
At the end of the day, news is about "truth, not speed". TikTok is great for entertainment, but when it comes to serious issues, we need to be careful. As Malaysians, we must ask ourselves: Are we consuming news for accuracy, or just for convenience?
Shelina Winthya is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
