I generally find it is a good overview before reading about something. It forms a general structure from which written details can then seep into later. To be an even more cranky old man and paraphrase Socrates (or technically Plato through the character of Socrates), the gold standard imo, isn't even written paraphrase, but reading and going over the book with a trusted colleague to see if there are any alternative explanations, and if there are, why they are there. Leaving someone alone in the ocean of reason is a sure way to drown.

TikTok, on the other hand, is a barrage and because it jumps topics so often, it doesn't even give you a chance to zone out and gloss over the details, the details just simply aren't there to begin with. That doesn't mean it can't be a learning tool, on the contrary, I'd say more kids these days know more about the JFK assassination conspiracy theories than anyone in my generation at that age, but that being said, there is generally very little in the way of them putting that into context, and they are equally likely to rattle off Chinese COVID conspiracy theories with equal confidence.