“Misery Loves Company” : A Study About Users Motivations and Experiences withTikTok’s Personalized Algorithm and Its Effect onTheir Well-Being

Abstract: This thesis researches users’ motivations for using TikTok, their experience with the personalized algorithm and the effect it has on their subjective well-being. The study is of qualitative character containing 19 questionnaire responses and qualitative interviews with five participants that use TikTok to some extent. The choice of participants was made according to convenience sampling and snowball selection where the results have been analyzed through qualitative content analysis. The literature review resulted in three themes, (1) Motivations for using TikTok, (2) TikTok’s personalized algorithm and its effects, (3) TikTok’s effect on users’ well-being. The results show that the motivation is a key part in users’ engagement with TikTok. Users’ motivations can be to seek entertainment, enjoyment, or inspiration for hobbies where the algorithm responds and analyzes the motivations, in turn the algorithm reinforcesthis in users’ consumption patterns which can result in positive or negative consequences. Their well-being can either increase due to being able to fill up time or entertain themselves, but it can also result in feelings of envy or dissatisfaction with their appearance or looks. These conclusions contribute to the body of research related to social media's effect on their users. It shows the crucial need for future investigation and research of user’s motivations, their experience and effect from the personalized algorithm, and the consequences that the use of digital platforms like TikTok can have on their well-being.