TikTok announced Wednesday that it will offer a STEM feed by default to all users in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland. Previously, feeds were only turned on by default for users under 18.
The social network says the expansion will make it easier for people to find educational content on the app.
The feed is enabled by default for all users in these countries, but you can turn it off by going to the app's settings and navigating to the “Content Settings” section.
TikTok initially launched its STEM feed after claims that TikTok is harmful to teens and uses addictive design techniques to keep users engaged for as long as possible. This was in response to criticism from lawmakers and rights groups.
The company has used the launch of its STEM feed to counter claims that TikTok is harmful to young users. TikTok CEO Shou Chew promoted the feed while testifying in two separate U.S. Congressional hearings in March 2023 and January 2024.
Given that TikTok has been criticized for being harmful to the mental health of teenagers and others, the company is trying to counter these kinds of claims by expanding its STEM feed to adults as well. Maybe there is.
The company says the STEM feed provides a space for collaborative learning, inspiration, and enrichment. By showing users STEM content by default, TikTok is trying to market itself as a place for learning, not just doomscrolling.
TikTok says that since the launch of the STEM feed, STEM-related content on the app has increased by 18%, and videos in the feed have been viewed 200 million times. The company plans to expand local language support for the feed in the future.