Revolutionary Algorithms A TikTok Manifesto

From an artist and TikTok creator, a critical look at the controversial app and its effect on cultural heritage, artificial intelligence, community organizing, and digital censorship.

In Revolutionary Algorithms, Torey Akers approaches TikTok with a deep understanding of the app, as both a prolific creator and consumer of its content. In these essays, she interrogates how the TikTok ban and the multiple genocides happening around the world are deeply intertwined; how the app can empower creators, amplify social movements, and document abuses of power. She addresses the good, bad, and sometimes uncanny parts of maneuvering and communicating in a digital space. 

As a new era of social media looms, Akers makes the case for techno-progressivism, looking toward a future where TikTok continues to connect, inspire, and create space for more intersectionality, equity, and joy.

Torey Akers is a Brooklyn-based artist, writer, and popular TikTok creator. She writes primarily for The Art Newspaper and has been published in outlets such as Big Red & Shiny, Fog Machine, and ArtsEditor. Her artwork has been consistently displayed at museums and galleries across the country since 2013.