Decoding Viral Racism on TikTok: A Content Analysis and Interview Study to Inform Educational Interventions

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 4:20 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Technology Use for Inclusion and Equity (Table 28)

Abstract

This study used a social listening tool and qualitative methods to analyze audiovisual content and user responses related to anti-Black and anti-Asian racism on the TikTok social media platform. Findings revealed that approximately 12% of posts contained racist content, mainly in the form of racial microaggressions and microassaults. We also identified user strategies that promote the virality of racist posts and qualitatively different trends in racist content across anti-Black and anti-Asian posts. Interviews with TikTok users further confirmed these trends and highlighted the need for an educational intervention to address online racism. This work is currently informing an online tool to help users recognize, report, and reduce the dissemination of racist content on TikTok.

Authors

• Christina Scanlon, University of Chicago

• Daniel Klug, Carnegie Mellon University

• Jane Walsh, Pennsylvania Western University

• Jeffrey Tienes, Pennsylvania Western University - Clarion

• Alice Huguet, RAND Corporation

• Karen Sowon, Carnegie Mellon University

• Tuangtip Klinbubpa-Neff, University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg

• Brady Shore, Pennsylvania Western University