From content moderation to visibility moderation: A case study of platform governance on TikTok

TikTok, a short-video app featuring video content typically between 15 and 60 s long, has become immensely popular around the world in the last few years. However, the worldwide popularity of TikTok requires the platform to constantly negotiate with the rules, norms and regulatory frameworks of the regions where it operates. Failure to do so has had significant consequences. For example, for content-related reasons, the platform has been (temporarily and permanently) banned in several countries, including India, Indonesia and Pakistan. Moreover, its Chinese ownership and popularity among underage users have made the platform subject to heightened scrutiny and criticism. In this paper, we introduce the notion of visibility moderation, defined as the process through which digital platforms manipulate the reach of user-generated content through algorithmic or regulatory means. We discuss particular measures TikTok implements to shape visibility and issues arising from it. This paper presents findings from interviews with content creators, which takes a user-centric approach to understand their sense-making of and negotiation with TikTok's visibility moderation. Findings from this study also highlight concerns that leave these stakeholders feeling confused, frustrated or powerless, which offer important directions for further research.