This could be because the TikTok you’re seeing has been reposted by someone you follow. “I try to engage my audience with memes or other funny things rather than just delivering dry information,” she said.If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you might be noticing some content on your FYP that doesn’t exactly seem “For You.” Maybe it’s somewhat in line with your interests or humor but feels more like a meme your BFF would send you than what you’d see on your own feed. “My strategy to interest young people on TikTok is similar to my approach to teaching,” said Professor Jessica Allen, a lecturer in renewable energy engineering at Australia’s Newcastle University.

To push back against misinformation on TikTok, scientists say they must first grab the users’ attention. The concept is simple – an urban setting in which all amenities such as parks and grocery are accessible within a quarter of an hour’s walk or bike ride from a person’s home, reducing CO2 emissions from urban car commutes.īut searching for “15-minute city” on TikTok turns up mostly scornful videos claiming the schemes will restrict residents’ movements and fine people for leaving their neighbourhoods. In February 2023, Dr Doug McNeall and other experts such as Dr Alaina Woods posted videos flagging unfounded theories flourishing on the platform about so-called 15-minute cities. “Climate scientists need to show up,” said Dr McNeall, active on TikTok under the username have a responsibility to make sure that the people promoting climate misinformation on purpose don’t get a free header,” he said, using a football metaphor.Īn analysis by United States-based public interest think tank Advance Democracy found the number of views of TikTok videos using seven hashtags associated with climate change denialism such as “#ClimateScam” and “#FakeClimateChange” increased by more than 50 per cent over the course of 2022, to 14 million. He also wants to ensure the spread of accurate information on the climate emergency.īringing climate literacy on TikTok is crucial to counterbalancing climate-related misinformation, according to Dr Doug McNeall, a climate scientist at the United Kingdom’s Met Office and lecturer at the University of Exeter.

Tiktok repost