The Affective Algorithms of Conspiracy TikTok

The initial optimism about the embedded and everyday integration of social media has, over time, given way to pessimism via the acknowledgment of these platforms’ role in the spread of mis(dis)information and the erosion of democratic ideals. Inspired by emergent accounts of how users encounter, experience, and make sense of algorithms in their everyday lives, we offer an ethnographic investigation into Conspiracy TikTok, tracing the affective flows of mis(dis)information on the platform. Specifically, we highlight our observations on reverse engineering TikTok’s algorithm, the affective pull of conspiracy content, and the critical element of algorithmic personalization.