TikTok launches a channel for science lovers in Europe

TikTok is a social networking site that has been used by over 150 million people across Europe. This month they will gain access to STEM. This is a new channel dedicated to content from fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (in English it is science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM for short). It aims to facilitate further discovery and connect users with common interests with even greater efficiency.

After a successful debut in the United States, the STEM card also appeared in Europe, initially in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the coming weeks TikTok users from other countries will also gain access to it. The content presented there is in English languagewith the option to turn it on automatic translation in the form of subtitles. It is to be checked by two independent organizations.

Creating English-language content on STEM is supposed to be an opportunity for Polish TikTokers to reach an international audience. The new tab may contain videos from creators who publish content consistent with its topic, and there are plenty of those involved in science on TikTok. This is for example:

• Adam Mirek (@adam_mirek) – science popularizer and influencer with a PhD in biomedical engineering and a regular guest of Dzień Dobry TVN, where he talks about the human body,
• Konrad Skotnicki (@doktor_z_tiktoka), who tells his viewers about physics, chemistry, space and scientific curiosities in an extremely engaging way,
• Dawid Stanasiuk (@mimir.cyfrowa.edukacja), who runs a profile about robotics and programming.

There have been a lot of posts on TikTok in the last three years almost 15 million STEM-related videos. Since the channel launched in the US, there has been a 24% increase in content related to science, technology, engineering and math.

We believe that the ability to discover is the basis of the TikTok experience, which is why the platform constantly tries to help its community find new and valuable content by introducing new, interesting formats. We hope that the launch of the STEM Channel across Europe will inspire a new generation of engineers, mathematicians and science enthusiasts.

– said Marlène Masure, General Manager of Operations for TikTok EMEA

STEM for young TikTok users

To encourage young people to explore science, for all users under 18, the STEM card will appear automatically. However, you can change the default settings in the application according to your preferences. Adult users will be able to enable the new feature by selecting “settings” and “content preferences”.

Since the channel launched in the United States, a third of teenagers on TikTok use it at least once a week.

Double content verification

For the sake of high quality content offered to its community, TikTok expands partnerships with Common Sense Networks and Poynter Institute, which will now also cover Europe. Common Sense Networks will be responsible for assessing the materials for their compliance with the STEM card concept, while Poynter will check the credibility of the information presented. Content that fails both verification steps will not be made available on the STEM tab.

At New Scientist, we present world-changing news and wonders from the world of science to our audiences every day. We want to inspire the next generations, which is why on TikTok we gather a community of young people whose passion for learning matches ours. Nowhere else does our content receive such positive reception and engagement, whether it's live Q&A with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, information about the latest breakthroughs in nuclear fusion research, explanations of how it works quantum entanglement or discovering the fascinating laws of mathematics. Therefore, if the STEM channel is to be a place offering access to exciting, trustworthy scientific knowledge with just one click, we are proud to be a part of this exciting endeavor.

– added David Stock, head of video at New Scientist