JAKARTA - The short video platform TikTok is still the favorite app of the younger generation, but the level of user trust from Gen Z to the platform has begun to decline significantly. This finding was revealed in the latest survey conducted by Harris Poll.
Survey results show that about 60 percent of Gen Z users now trust TikTok lower than before. In addition, 74 percent of respondents said they were more careful about the content they saw or interacted with on the platform.
This change in attitude comes amid growing concerns about disinformation, the security of personal data, and changes in the ownership structure of platforms that make users more aware of how their data is used.
Around 64 percent of respondents stated that the change in ownership of TikTok made them pay more attention to issues of privacy and protection of personal data. Instead of calming user concerns, the change process actually made some users feel more vigilant.
Nostalgia also emerged in the survey. Around 79 percent of Gen Z users said they miss the early version of TikTok when the platform was not yet too full of ads and brand promotions. In the early days of its popularity around 2020, TikTok was known for more spontaneous and less commercialized content.
According to the survey report, many users feel that the TikTok feed now looks more like a shopping channel than a creative space. Content that is more "raw" and not too neatly arranged is something users miss.
Around 43 percent of respondents also said that the experience of using TikTok now feels more mentally exhausting than a year ago. Meanwhile, 72 percent of users assess that many of the content on the platform feels too contrived or performative.
This trend of declining trust is not only happening on TikTok. The survey also showed a decrease in Gen Z's involvement in other social media platforms. Around 34 percent of respondents admitted that they are now more often just passive observers or "lurkers", rarely posting or interacting.
Almost a third of users even say they open social media just because of habit, not because they really want to use it. In addition, 39 percent of respondents assess that their feed is now filled with low-quality content generated by artificial intelligence.
In the midst of this trend, one platform actually recorded a positive perception from Gen Z, namely Google's YouTube. The survey showed that the video platform has a positive rating of 78 percent among Gen Z, with 38 percent of respondents saying they plan to use it more often in the next year.
In contrast, the X platform recorded the worst performance in the survey. Only about 15 percent of respondents said they planned to increase their use of the app.
Harris Poll Chief Strategy Officer Libby Rodney said Gen Z's daily presence on TikTok doesn't necessarily mean loyalty to the platform.
According to him, many users actually just follow digital habits that have been formed for years. However, these habits can change at any time, especially if users start to feel that their experiences on social media are no longer fun or authentic.
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