Answer Details

Here are **two** TikTok-based U.S. political news/commentary accounts that have gained significant traction, along with considerations around trustworthiness. By “trustworthy” I mean they have clear credentials, transparency around sourcing, and an established audience — but as always with social media, users should remain critical and cross-check. --- ## 1. V Spehar (TikTok handle: **@underthedesknews**)     **Why this one stands out:** * Spehar is a journalist (and formerly in food-/policy-advocacy) who pivoted to short-form news on TikTok. ([Wikipedia][1]) * Their account “Under The Desk News” explains current events in a conversational style, aiming at younger viewers. ([Advocate.com][2]) * They’ve received recognition (e.g., on the “TIME100 Creators” list). ([Wikipedia][1]) * They discuss their own process of earning trust with the audience, disclaimers when they made mistakes etc. ([Advocate.com][2]) **Considerations:** * Even credible creators on TikTok work under different constraints (short video length, viral-format pressure) compared with traditional journalism. * Their viewpoint may lean toward a particular ideological framing (they identify openly, include commentary in their news) — so for balanced coverage you should still check multiple sources. * TikTok’s platform dynamics (algorithmic factors, virality, attention economy) can affect what content gets amplified. For instance: research shows TikTok recommendations during the 2024 U.S. election skewed toward Republican-aligned content. ([arXiv][3]) --- ## 2. Aaron Parnas (TikTok handle: **@aaronparnas1**)       **Why this one stands out:** * Aaron Parnas is a lawyer-turned-journalist/commentator who uses TikTok as one of his platforms. ([Wikipedia][4]) * He has a large follower base and also publishes a newsletter (“The Parnas Perspective”) which adds another layer of depth beyond short videos. ([Wikipedia][4]) * He covers legal/political topics and current events, targeting younger audiences on TikTok. **Considerations:** * His ideological stance is clear (he has shifted to a Democratic-leaning position and writes commentary) which means his output might include analysis *and* viewpoint. ([Wikipedia][4]) * Some critics have flagged issues around sourcing and transparency in social-creator journalism. For example: “Some critics have challenged the clarity of his sourcing.” ([Wikipedia][4]) * As with any single voice, the risk of bias or omission remains — so again, cross-check with other outlets. --- ### Summary & How to Use These Wisely * Both accounts provide more digestible, younger-audience-friendly political news on TikTok and have genuine journalism/creator credentials. * They *don’t* replace in-depth reporting from full news organisations, but they *can* be useful entry points for staying informed and see issues you might not get via traditional media. * **Best practice**: Use them as **one** of several sources. For any topic you care about (legislation, elections, policy) check the original documents, multiple published news stories, and look out for fact-checks. * Be aware of TikTok platform dynamics: virality may reward emotion or controversy rather than nuance. Research suggests ideological skew in the recommendation algorithm. ([arXiv][3]) --- If you like, I can *find a longer list* (5-10) of TikTok accounts (covering across the ideological spectrum) that are considered relatively trustworthy for U.S. political news, with notes on each. Would that be helpful? [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_Spehar?utm_source=chatgpt.com "V Spehar" [2]: https://www.advocate.com/news/v-spehar-tiktok-media?utm_source=chatgpt.com "V Spehar on their success as a journalist on TikTok" [3]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.17831?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TikTok's recommendations skewed towards Republican content during the 2024 U.S. presidential race" [4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Parnas?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Aaron Parnas"