16 December, 20:00 CET
The Hmm ON TikTok
With over 800 million active users worldwide, TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. It’s also the first globally used social media app that has not been developed in America, but instead has Chinese ownership. What are the consequences of this ?
TikTok, whose name is a reference to a ticking clock, is an app for making and sharing short videos. Besides all kinds of tools for creating fun new video content, the app has a unique recommendation algorithm that makes it fundamentally different from the social media platforms we’re used to. Compared to Snapchat or Instagram, where you have to log in and connect with friends in order to scroll through content, on TikTok you can watch videos right after you’ve downloaded the app. The feed you get is not based on your friends, it’s based on an algorithm that learns from your scrolling behaviour.
TikTok is actually the international version of the Chinese app Douyin. While the two might seem similar they are actually two different entities, creating a barrier between any interaction (or data) of users in China and international users. This opens up a lot of interesting questions around what it means to use apps that are created within a highly controlled totalitarian regime.
What does competition from China’s tech companies mean for the apps we use, the recommendations we receive, and the kinds of visual content we create and share? Are Trump’s security concerns, his reason to ban the app in the US, well-founded? Tonight we’ll explore these questions with three amazing speakers.
You’ll receive the streaming link after registering for the event.
The Hmm ON …
We’re using face filters to make ourselves prettier, track our daily steps on our iPhones, and rely on Google Maps to find our destination. But what exactly is the impact of these technologies? With The Hmm ON , we reflect on these playful, serious, and sometimes disturbing developments in internet culture.
The series is kindly supported by the Creative Industries fund and Amsterdam Fund for the Arts.
