Why the Kids Love TikTok Search
Uncanny Valley | WIRED26 Tammi 2023

Why the Kids Love TikTok Search

TikTok’s influence is expanding well beyond the social sphere. The app is increasingly being used for the types of internet searches one would normally rely on a web search engine for. The video-based social app might not seem like the best place to find answers to your burning questions, but many users have made it their tool of choice for finding bars and restaurants to visit, movies to watch, or clothes to wear. It's a trend that has companies like Google more than a little concerned. The popularity of the app has also raised the hackles of US lawmakers, who have cited security concerns about the app and have even introduced legislation calling for a wholesale national TikTok ban.

This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED's Lily Hay Newman joins us to discuss why all the kids are using TikTok for search and dig into whether the app's ownership by a Chinese firm really makes it a national security threat.

Show Notes

Read Lauren’s story about her week of using TikTok for search. Here’s Lily on TikTok’s security threats. Follow all of WIRED’s coverage of TikTok.

Recommendations

Lily recommends the essay collection "You Are Not Expected to Understand This": How 26 Lines of Code Changed the World, edited by Torie Bosch. Lauren recommends the book I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. Mike recommends the classic seasons of the show Doctor Who, which you can find on BritBox.

Lily Newman can be found on Twitter @lilyhnewman. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(427)

BIG INTV: Mark Cuban Would Still Have Dinner With Donald Trump

BIG INTV: Mark Cuban Would Still Have Dinner With Donald Trump

Billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs, talks to Katie about the state of entrepreneurship, American healthcare, and tech under Trump. The investor cam...

14 Loka 202544min

WIRED Roundup: Are We In An AI Bubble?

WIRED Roundup: Are We In An AI Bubble?

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the Antifa professor who’s fleeing to Europe for safety, to how some c...

10 Loka 202521min

How China Is Hoping to Attract Tech Talent

How China Is Hoping to Attract Tech Talent

When news broke last month that H1-B visa holders in the U.S would be subjected to a new hefty fee of $100,000, chaos and confusion ensued for a lot of tech workers and their employers. It’s the lates...

9 Loka 202532min

BIG INTV: Patreon CEO Jack Conte Wants You to Get Off of Your Phone

BIG INTV: Patreon CEO Jack Conte Wants You to Get Off of Your Phone

Jack Conte, founder of Patreon tells Katie if we can send rockets into space and have self-driving cars we can figure out how to pay creators for their work. In this interview recorded in front of a l...

7 Loka 202532min

WIRED Roundup: The New Fake World of OpenAI’s Social Video App

WIRED Roundup: The New Fake World of OpenAI’s Social Video App

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from how federal workers are being told to blame Democrats for the govern...

3 Loka 202523min

Your Delivery Robot Is Here

Your Delivery Robot Is Here

Earlier this week, DoorDash unveiled its own new autonomous robot, called Dot. The company says it’s part of its goal to have a “hybrid” model for deliveries going forward—working with humans, but als...

2 Loka 202528min

BIG INTV: Lareina Yee Discusses Breakthrough Technologies

BIG INTV: Lareina Yee Discusses Breakthrough Technologies

Branded Content by McKinsey | WIRED’s Global Editorial Director, Katie Drummond sat down with McKinsey’s Global Institute Director and Senior Partner Lareina Yee for a conversation on the technologies...

30 Syys 202527min

WIRED Roundup: Groypers Going Mainstream

WIRED Roundup: Groypers Going Mainstream

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from Customs & Border Protection efforts to collect American’s DNA to tech bill...

26 Syys 202523min