Learning about Data, Algorithms, and Algorithmic Justice on TikTok in Personally Meaningful Ways

TL;DR

This paper explores how young users engage with TikTok's AI-driven features, learning about data and algorithms in personally meaningful ways, and using this understanding to advocate for ethical and just platform practices.

Contribution

It provides insights into youth interactions with TikTok's AI systems, emphasizing learning, ethical considerations, and advocacy, which are underexplored in existing research.

Findings

Youth actively investigate TikTok's algorithms and data practices.

Users leverage AI tools for creative expression and advocacy.

Engagement fosters understanding of algorithmic justice and ethics.

Abstract

TikTok, a popular short video sharing application, emerged as the dominant social media platform for young people, with a pronounced influence on how young women and people of color interact online. The application has become a global space for youth to connect with each other, offering not only entertainment but also opportunities to engage with artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-driven recommendations and create content using AI/M-powered tools, such as generative AI filters. This provides opportunities for youth to explore and question the inner workings of these systems, their implications, and even use them to advocate for causes they are passionate about. We present different perspectives on how youth may learn in personally meaningful ways when engaging with TikTok. We discuss how youth investigate how TikTok works (considering data and algorithms), take into account issues of ethics and algorithmic justice and use their understanding of the platform to advocate for change.