TikTok Malaysia quoted a survey conducted by Kearney involving nearly a thousand Malaysians, and found that most respondents benefit from the platform for education, cultural engagement, community connection, and stress management.
Survey Claims Majority of Users Rely On TikTok For Education and Self-Improvement
Based on a survey of 1,003 users, with detailed usage questions involving 990 respondents who use TikTok at least weekly, the report found that 61% regularly use the platform to learn about topics of interest, while 58% use it to find information on a topic of interest. A further 33% rely on the social media to learn how to solve practical problems. Entertainment remains the largest stated use, at 81%, but the figures indicate that information and learning have become established parts of the platform’s role.
The report argues that TikTok’s discovery model, which recommends content based on user interest and engagement rather than relying solely on social connections or follower graphs, allows educational, cultural and niche content to reach audiences beyond established follower networks. The same mechanism – often criticized for encouraging prolonged engagement – can therefore also expose users to subjects they might not have deliberately sought out.
Around 66% of respondents rated TikTok as somewhat or very important for staying connected, with the report pointing to comments, likes and livestreams as mechanisms that sustain interaction across physical distances. Meanwhile, 43% use the app to find something to do locally or somewhere new, while about 38% of users aged 18 to 25 use it to find local events or attractions.
TikTok presented a case study on Sarawak-based Soneng Bakery, explained how its content introduced traditional cakes and their cultural heritage to audiences outside Sarawak; the business’s content generated 2.1 million views on one viral video, while TikTok Shop eventually accounted for around 70% of its revenue. There’s a lot more purported benefits claimed, including education, entertainment, and socioeconomic aspects, in this 58-page report.
However, these findings should not be read as proof that TikTok is inherently beneficial – the statistics measure what users say they use the platform for, rather than demonstrating that exposure necessarily produces better learning or improved wellbeing (though efforts have been made). The report also does not establish that discovery through TikTok is more reliable than information obtained elsewhere, as the platform is riddled with AI slop.
Pokdepinion: The report definitely tries to put TikTok in a positive light, but social media companies aren’t under intense scrutiny lately for no reason. The rise of AI-generated content certainly doesn’t help either.
