On June 5, 2025, a symposium on the TikTok phenomenon took place at MU’s Frankfurt campus – within just a few years, the platform has developed into a global, cultural force.
The students‘ symposium impressively demonstrated how complex TikTok is as a subject of research and how urgently a critical, differentiated approach to this influential platform is needed.
TikTok has long been more than just a pastime for young people. With over one billion users worldwide, it shapes today’s media landscapes, cultural forms of expression and economic structures.
TikTok has changed the way media is produced, consumed and monetized.
In five thematic panels, students examined the platform from a wide variety of perspectives:
Platform logics and algorithmic culture
The contributions in this block analysed the functioning of TikTok’s algorithm, the design for user retention and the monetization of attention. TikTok as a data-driven ecosystem was critically scrutinized – both from a technical and ethical perspective.
Contributions:
Global trends and community dynamics
TikTok was presented as a mirror of society in which cultural trends, political movements and identity-forming practices are condensed. In addition to the potential for creative self-presentation, challenges such as hate speech and moderation boundaries were also discussed.
Contributions:
Creator economy and marketing
How does viral content work? What opportunities – and risks – does being an influencer entail? Creative strategies, brand communication and the role of music in the context of TikTok campaigns were discussed. Case studies such as Ryanair or the AfD showed the range of platform use.
Contributions:
Geopolitics and ownership structure
TikTok’s affiliation with the Chinese company ByteDance was the starting point for discussions about digital sovereignty, international regulatory conflicts and “techno-nationalism” between the US and China.
Contributions:
Regulation and competition issues
The final session dealt with legal and economic framework conditions. The focus was on competition law, interoperability and the question of whether TikTok constitutes a natural monopoly. Current lawsuits and legislative initiatives against the platform were also examined.
Contributions:
