TikTok has been taking the education field by storm, spreading facts, knowledge and lies.

We have probably all had that experience of when your friend tells you something absolutely outrageous, and when you ask where that came from, they pull up a TikTok video. You may have even been guilty of it yourself at times.

For those who are unaware, TikTok is a social media platform that lets creators share short-form videos and photos. Primarily known for dance videos and viral challenges, TikTok has evolved to feature a diverse range of videos, encompassing everything from cooking to driving and makeup tutorials.

Another big topic they have is education. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of videos in which creators give knowledge and try to educate their viewers. Hashtags like #LearnOnTikTok have over 1.4 trillion views at the time of this is written. Using their short length, easily accessible and quick-knowledge approach, these videos create a scene that feels more authentic and beneficial than a lecture hall could ever.

But here is the problem: anyone can teach. But not everyone can get it right.

“TikTok is a good way to learn, but you need to make sure it’s real,” said John Mayfield, a UT Martin student with a major in computer science major. “There are plenty of people who are trying to just get attention and on purpose post things that are ragebait. You need to know who you’re watching and fact-check.”

According to a study by Capitol Technology University, a large percentage of educational content on TikTok is misleading or vastly oversimplified. The TikTok algorithm rewards the videos that are viral, not accurate. So while you might learn a cool math trick that may help with multiplication, you are also one swipe away from falsified history or made-up scientific laws.

“I believe that getting education from TikTok leads to a lot of misinformation or incorrect sources,” said Copper Johnson, a UT Martin student with a major in political science.

However, education is not the only area of information that TikTok often gets wrong; it also misinforms the news. This is particularly problematic because TikTok is where many young adults, students included, get their news.

According to Deseret News, more than 40% of young adults get their news from TikTok.

The biggest appeal of TikTok is that it is easily visual, personal and fast. But it is also extremely biased. Throughout the app, many political opinions are passed off as facts, and conspiracy theories become a trend. Because of this, the algorithm rarely shows anything opposed to the popular views.

Due to this, it is hard to keep track of what is true and what is political beliefs in the news. But could this be better than newspapers and digital news apps?

Some people believe that this is still better, though. While there is some biased and false information that is shared through TikTok, there are still some good things that seep through. It is also easier to get news relevant to the viewer through TikTok and the algorithm.

“I think that getting information from TikTok now is odd but honestly, it’s the best resort because they tell you the facts and are honest,” said Eriona Pillow, a UT Martin student with a major in social work. “It also keeps you relevant on upcoming issues. It is better than news reporting channels which are biased.”

While this is partially true, and some news sites are biased, that is not the complete story.

TikTok’s main commercial appeal is obvious: it is fun, addictive and feels like a shortcut to knowledge. When education and news are filtered through a platform like this, which is built for entertainment, it is hard to tell the difference between fact, opinion and just entertainment.

Now, you should not just go and delete TikTok from all of your devices. After all, it is still a powerful tool that can be very helpful to learn new things and get information that you could not get in a classroom, and a great platform for entertainment and fun.

However, TikTok needs to be seen for what it truly is. It is only a supplement for information, not a source of it. We need to ask questions and fact-check, not just swipe and believe.