UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — V Spehar understands how easy it is to feel overwhelmed by the news — they hear it from their followers every day. As one of the platform’s leading news creators, Spehar’s mission is to provide their more than 3 million TikTok followers with content that informs, educates and encourages participation in American democracy.
Spehar, creator of "Under the Desk News," will present a lecture on how to be an informed news consumer on social media Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. in the HUB Flex Theater. The event is part of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s spring lecture series, which focuses on Gen Z’s role in democracy.
Before becoming a full-time content creator, Spehar was the head of Women’s Leadership Programs and Impact at the James Beard Foundation. They joined TikTok during the pandemic and originally made food videos before pivoting to news shortly after Jan. 6.
“I didn’t want people to think I was a real news anchor, some sort of authority figure,” Spehar told NBC News. “Under the desk feels like a very safe place to hear about terrible things.”
Since launching "Under the Desk News" in 2021, Spehar has collaborated with more than a dozen members of Congress and contributed to media outlets including the Today Show. They visited the White House in 2022 to cover President Joe Biden administration’s announcement of its spending package.
“Legacy media had a good time making a joke about TikTokers being invited to a White House briefing,” Spehar told NPR after the event. “It just showed how out of touch people are with what the current state of communication is for young people.”
News consumption on TikTok continues to rise. In November, the Pew Research Center reported that about a third of adults under 30 regularly get news on TikTok; a number that’s expected to increase as the 2024 election draws closer.
In addition to "Under the Desk News," Spehar hosts the podcast "V Interesting," which highlights the interesting parts of stories often lost in the chaotic news cycle and offers them the opportunity to conduct in-depth interviews.
Spehar’s lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, visit democracy.psu.edu/events.