Pigeon Forge, Tenn. – September 19, 2026 -- Alcatraz East Crime Museum is opening a new exhibit examining how TikTok has reshaped crime reporting, featuring criminal defense attorney and influencer Stephanie Giancristofaro, who has built a following of over 326,000 on the platform.
The exhibit arrives as TikTok marks its 10th anniversary on September 20, 2026. The app launched as Douyin from an apartment in China in 2016, expanded internationally the following year, and gained a major popularity boost in 2018 after merging with the lip-syncing app Musical.ly.
An attorney turned to TikTok to cut through case confusion
Giancristofaro began posting videos after the 2022 murder of four University of Idaho students, aiming to help viewers understand the legal proceedings surrounding the case. Her clips break down evidence, applicable law, and the line between fact and speculation, and now draw millions of views.
"There is a tremendous amount of information, and misinformation, surrounding high-profile criminal cases online," Giancristofaro said, adding that she works to ground online discussion in accurate facts rather than speculation.
TikTok has become a major source of news for adult users
Pew Research Center data cited by the museum shows 37% of U.S. adults use TikTok, a figure that continues to climb. Among those users, roughly 55% say they regularly get news from the app, while 95% use it primarily for entertainment.
The museum's pop culture wing gains a modern true-crime addition
"The new TikTok influencer exhibit is going to be a fascinating addition to our pop culture section," said Ally Mills, artifacts and programs manager at Alcatraz East Crime Museum, noting the platform's growing role in how people consume information about criminal cases.
Alcatraz East houses more than 100 exhibits and interactives across four temporary exhibit spaces, alongside artifacts including Al Capone's rosary, Ted Bundy's dental molds, and Charles Manson's acoustic guitar. The museum, located at 2757 Parkway in Pigeon Forge, opens daily at 10 a.m., with last tickets sold 60 minutes before closing.
The museum also recently updated its board of crime experts, adding retired master police officer Derwin Bradley, crime writer James R. Knight, certified Florida crime scene investigator Robin Maynard, 20-year Tennessee Bureau of Investigation veteran Derek Newport, and Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., who presided over the Casey Anthony case.