Answer Details

Great question. It’s tricky: TikTok is **not** traditionally built for “hard-hitting” journalism, so evaluating trustworthiness there involves a lot of nuance. Still, there are several U.S. political news accounts on TikTok that are relatively well-regarded, especially among younger audiences, and some things to watch out for when assessing trust. Here are some TikTok accounts to consider — plus some caveats: --- ## 🚨 Trusted / Relatively Trustworthy Political TikTok Accounts 1. **@underthedesknews (V Spehar)** * Vitus “V” Spehar is a journalist on TikTok who covers U.S. politics in a very direct, fact-focused way. ([Wikipedia][1]) * According to OPB, Spehar describes their account as a “safe space for news … in a kind way.” ([opb][2]) * Their approach is more “explainer news” rather than sensational or purely opinion-based. 2. **@thepocketreport (G. L. DiVittorio)** * Gina DiVittorio runs *The Pocket Report*, which is comedic and satirical but also breaks down underlying policies, funding, and historical contexts behind political issues. ([Wikipedia][3]) * While it’s not “hard news” in the traditional sense, her coverage is research-informed and publicly recognized (e.g., briefed by the White House in past). ([Wikipedia][3]) 3. **@meidastouch** * MeidasTouch is a progressive media network on TikTok. ([Wikipedia][4]) * Their coverage is explicitly pro-democracy and left-leaning. ([Wikipedia][4]) * Because they are partisan, they’re not “neutral,” so use them as a perspective rather than a definitive source on all sides. 4. **@aaronparnas1 (Aaron Parnas)** * Aaron Parnas is a journalist/lawyer who provides political news + legal analysis. ([Wikipedia][5]) * He also writes a Substack (“The Parnas Perspective”), which gives more context and depth than just TikToks. ([Wikipedia][5]) * Because he's an individual creator, always good to cross-reference what he says with other news outlets. 5. **@katmabu (Kat Abughazaleh)** * Kat Abughazaleh is a journalist and political commentator. ([Wikipedia][6]) * Her content often dives into extremism, disinformation, and media analysis. * She brings research-based commentary, though she also has a point of view (progressive). 6. **@harryjsisson (Harry Sisson)** * Harry Sisson does political commentary from a younger, often progressive lens. ([Wikipedia][7]) * He’s been paid in the past by progressive PACs, so there *is* some partisan affiliation. ([Wikipedia][7]) * Use his content for perspective, particularly on Gen Z–targeted political issues, but don’t treat it as strictly “objective” traditional journalism. --- ## ⚠️ Things to Be Careful About on TikTok for News * According to the **Pew Research Center**, a significant share of TikTok users *do* see news on the platform — but many also think there’s a fair amount of inaccuracy. * There are **content farms** and accounts that push misinformation or partisan propaganda. NewsGuard has flagged politically oriented TikToks using AI-generated content. ([NewsGuard][8]) * Algorithm bias: some research (e.g., recent academic work) suggests TikTok’s recommendation algorithm during the 2024 election skewed toward Republican-aligned content in certain scenarios. ([arXiv][9]) * Because clip length is short, nuance can be lost. Many creators will simplify or pick only one side of a story. --- ## ✅ My Recommendation * **Follow several of these creators** across the political spectrum (or at least a couple with different viewpoints) so you get a diversity of perspectives. * **Use their TikToks as starting points**, not final word: if something seems big or important, go check more in-depth coverage from traditional outlets (or reputable online publications). * **Be critical:** check whether the creator is citing sources, whether they provide context, and whether they offer analysis + news, not just hot takes. --- If you like, I can pull together a **current (2025) list of the top 10 most trusted political news creators on TikTok** (based on reach + credibility). Do you want me to do that? [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_Spehar?utm_source=chatgpt.com "V Spehar" [2]: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/01/04/how-influencers-are-impacting-journalism/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "How influencers are impacting journalism - OPB" [3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._L._DiVittorio?utm_source=chatgpt.com "G. L. DiVittorio" [4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MeidasTouch?utm_source=chatgpt.com "MeidasTouch" [5]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Parnas?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Aaron Parnas" [6]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kat_Abughazaleh?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Kat Abughazaleh" [7]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Sisson_%28influencer%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Harry Sisson (influencer)" [8]: https://www.newsguardtech.com/special-reports/tiktok-content-farms-use-ai-voiceovers-to-mass-produce-political-misinformation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TikTok Content Farms Use AI Voiceovers to Mass-Produce Political Misinformation - NewsGuard" [9]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.17831?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TikTok's recommendations skewed towards Republican content during the 2024 U.S. presidential race"