Abstract
The current study is aimed at understanding the impact of TikTok’s
recommendation system. The algorithm is perceived as very efficient in
targeting users but raises several ethical concerns regarding the
ability to manipulate users’ experience and the extent to which private
data and preferences are respected. Utilizing the data collected from 40
in-depth interviews, this study explores: How do users perceive TikTok’s
ethical responsibilities in regard to their algorithmic recommendation
system? Furthermore, the analysis discusses and evaluates the tension
between a) how the platform’s algorithm feeds users similar videos that
they highly appreciate; and, inversely, b) how the diversification of
recommendations is limited. A thematic analysis shows interviewees
describe TikTok as a safe space where users can be themselves and feel
included in a community of people interested in posting content to
connect and engage meaningfully beyond difference. However, the
algorithm is perceived as harmful because it tries to manipulate and
drive users towards specific videos that increase their ‘addiction’ to
the platform. Interviewees consider some of the recommendations on the
ForYou page to be questionable because they aimed at persuading or
nudging in favor of particular hashtags and social causes. This
contradiction may partly be explained by the fact that interviewees
report their rationalizations in a performative manner in order to avoid
feelings of dissonance while attempting to relate to their own
self-identity. This observation leads to the idea that the concept of
mediated diversity can explain the tension between the expectation of
similarity and diversity.