"TikTok, Do Your Thing": User Reactions to Social Surveillance in the Public Sphere

TL;DR

This study analyzes TikTok users' reactions to a viral trend involving public identification of strangers, revealing mixed support and disapproval, and discussing implications for social surveillance and privacy perceptions.

Contribution

It provides a qualitative analysis of user reactions to a novel form of peer surveillance on TikTok, highlighting evolving community norms and privacy concerns.

Findings

Over 19 individuals were successfully identified in the videos.

Supportive comments outnumber disapproving ones by more than two to one.

Concerns about stalking, consent, and gendered double standards were prominent in disapproval.

Abstract

''TikTok, Do Your Thing'' is a viral trend where users attempt to identify strangers they see in public via information crowd-sourcing. The trend started as early as 2021 and users typically engage with it for romantic purposes (similar to a ''Missed Connections'' personal advertisement). This practice includes acts of surveillance and identification in the public sphere, although by peers rather than governments or corporations. To understand users' reactions to this trend we conducted a qualitative analysis of 60 TikTok videos and 1,901 user comments. Of the 60 videos reviewed, we find 19 individuals were successfully identified. We also find that while there were comments expressing disapproval (n=310), more than double the number expressed support (n=883). Supportive comments demonstrated genuine interest and empathy, reflecting evolving conceptions of community and algorithmic engagement. On the other hand, disapproving comments highlighted concerns about inappropriate relationships, stalking, consent, and gendered double standards. We discuss these insights in relation to the normalization of interpersonal surveillance, online stalking, and as an evolution of social surveillance to offer a new perspective on user perceptions surrounding interpersonal surveillance and identification in the public sphere.