Generation Z Uses TikTok instead of Google

Generation Z is using TikTok to search for information instead of Google.

While Google was previously thought of as a search engine and TikTok as an entertainment tool, it is now clear that for the younger generation, TikTok is becoming the place to find information, taking over the functions of the established Internet giants. The service, which boasts more than a billion users, is more than just an app for young people aged 10 to 25 to watch video clips.

According to eMarketer, TikTok's sales are predicted to triple this year to $12 billion. That's small compared to giants Google and Facebook, but big, considering the company has only been around for 5 years. A third of its users are members of Generation Z, of whom there are 67 million in the US alone.

Prabhakar Raghavan, a senior vice president at Google, says about 40 per cent of young people use TikTok or Instagram instead of Google when searching for lunch recommendations. TikTok also helps to find a job or start a business.

Despite the benefits of TikTok, US regulators are putting pressure on the company. TikTok previously said certain employees outside the US could access information from American users.

According to Sensor Tower, the app has been downloaded more than 320 million times in the US.