TY - JOUR
T1 - Algorithmic conspirituality
T2 - Explicating its emergence, dimensions, and persuasibility
AU - Kanthawala, Shaheen
AU - Cotter, Kelley
AU - Ritchart, Amy
AU - De, Ankolika
AU - McAtee, Haley
AU - Yun, Connie
AU - DeCook, Julia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2025/5
Y1 - 2025/5
N2 - Algorithmic conspirituality is the belief that social media algorithms have the capacity to know users intimately and convey personally meaningful messages at the exact right moment to revelatory effect. Through a thematic analysis of TikTok videos, this study explicates this concept by identifying five distinct dimensions of its expression on TikTok—(1) relational, (2) injunctive, (3) personal, (4) spiritual, (5) conspiratorial—and explaining their relationship with the platform’s affordances—(1) connectedness, (2) personalization, and (3) social creativity. We then connect the emergence and impact of this phenomenon to the possibility for persuasion and behavior changes through normalization of messaging in areas such as mental health, smoking, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and body dysmorphia that could lead to positive and negative health outcomes.
AB - Algorithmic conspirituality is the belief that social media algorithms have the capacity to know users intimately and convey personally meaningful messages at the exact right moment to revelatory effect. Through a thematic analysis of TikTok videos, this study explicates this concept by identifying five distinct dimensions of its expression on TikTok—(1) relational, (2) injunctive, (3) personal, (4) spiritual, (5) conspiratorial—and explaining their relationship with the platform’s affordances—(1) connectedness, (2) personalization, and (3) social creativity. We then connect the emergence and impact of this phenomenon to the possibility for persuasion and behavior changes through normalization of messaging in areas such as mental health, smoking, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and body dysmorphia that could lead to positive and negative health outcomes.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179679356&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85179679356&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/14614448231217425
DO - 10.1177/14614448231217425
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85179679356
SN - 1461-4448
VL - 27
SP - 2885
EP - 2910
JO - New Media and Society
JF - New Media and Society
IS - 5
ER -