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

Explore a research presentation examining the viral TikTok trend "TikTok, Do Your Thing" where users crowdsource information to identify strangers they encounter in public spaces. Learn about a comprehensive qualitative analysis of 60 TikTok videos and 1,901 user comments that reveals how this practice functions as a form of peer-to-peer social surveillance, typically used for romantic purposes similar to traditional "Missed Connections" advertisements. Discover the study's findings that 19 individuals were successfully identified across the analyzed videos, with user reactions split between support (883 comments) and disapproval (310 comments). Understand how supportive comments demonstrate genuine interest and empathy while reflecting evolving concepts of community and algorithmic engagement, contrasted with disapproving comments that raise concerns about inappropriate relationships, stalking, consent issues, and gendered double standards. Gain insights into the normalization of interpersonal surveillance, online stalking behaviors, and the evolution of social surveillance practices, offering a fresh perspective on user perceptions surrounding interpersonal surveillance and identification in public spheres through this University of Washington research presented at the USENIX SOUPS 2025 conference.