{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T20:08:17Z","timestamp":1776110897575,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":85,"publisher":"Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]],"date-time":"2025-05-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1746144000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006374","name":"John S. and James L. Knight Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["G-2019-58788"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["G-2019-58788"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006374","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006374","name":"National Science Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1749815, DGE-2140004"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1749815, DGE-2140004"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006374","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"University of Washington Center for an Informed Public"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006374","name":"William and Flora Hewlett Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2022-00952-GRA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022-00952-GRA"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006374","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["dl.acm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Social media platforms are known to facilitate sudden bursts of attention on individual pieces of content and their creators \u2014 dynamics often referred to as ''going viral''. However, questions remain about how these moments impact the individuals who experience them, especially within algorithmically-mediated, video-sharing platforms like TikTok. In this study, we seek to better understand the experiences of creators who received a burst of attention, as identified by their participation in a trend highlighting an earlier video that had ''blown up.'' Through mixed-methods analysis of TikTok trace data and interviews, we show that massive surges in attention can have significant, varied, and long-lasting impacts on creators \u2014 within the platform and beyond. These include a short-term increase in views and sharing more similar content, and posting more content responding to other content on the platform. We also show how algorithmically-mediated bursts \u2014 or ''boosts'' \u2014 of attention led to shifts in creators' conceptualizations of themselves, the platform, and their audiences. Our work contributes empirical and conceptual insights into online fame and celebrity, how audiences and influencers interact, and how the affordances and cultures of TikTok shape how sudden attention is experienced on the platform.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1145\/3711001","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T11:36:19Z","timestamp":1747740979000},"page":"1-31","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["'I Blow Up': Understanding TikTok Users' Reactions to Sudden Social Media Attention"],"prefix":"10.1145","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6921-2074","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joseph S.","family":"Schafer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-3486-9798","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annie","family":"Denton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-3678-8576","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chloe","family":"Seelhoff","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-3050-9537","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jordyn","family":"Vo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-4703-6370","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lance","family":"Garcia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-6301-209X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isha","family":"Madan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-3259-7766","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alisha","family":"Mudbhary","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-6037-1291","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ruijingya","family":"Tang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1661-4608","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kate","family":"Starbird","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA"}]}],"member":"320","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_1_1_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/9781787560765"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5334\/csci.140"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_3_1","volume-title":"Globe: Approaches to Cultures of Internet Fame","author":"Abidin Crystal","year":"2018","unstructured":"Crystal Abidin and Megan Lindsay Brown (Eds.). 2018. Microcelebrity Around the Globe: Approaches to Cultures of Internet Fame. Emerald Publishing, Bingley, UK."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_4_1","volume-title":"Critical Meme Reader: Global Mutations of the Viral Image, Chlo\u00eb Arkenbout, Jack Wilson, and Daniel De Zeeuw (Eds.). Number 15 in INC Reader","author":"Abidin Crystal","year":"2021","unstructured":"Crystal Abidin and Bondy Valdovinos Kaye. 2021. Audio Memes, Earworms, and Templatability: The 'Aural Turn' of Memmes on TikTok. In Critical Meme Reader: Global Mutations of the Viral Image, Chlo\u00eb Arkenbout, Jack Wilson, and Daniel De Zeeuw (Eds.). Number 15 in INC Reader. Institute of Network Cultures, Amsterdam. https:\/\/networkcultures.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CriticalMemeReader-1.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_5_1","unstructured":"AJR. 2021. World's Smallest Violin."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_6_1","unstructured":"Chlo\u00eb Arkenbout Jack Wilson and Daniel De Zeeuw (Eds.). 2021. Critical Meme Reader: Global Mutations of the Viral Image. Number 15 in INC Reader. Institute of Network Cultures Amsterdam. https:\/\/networkcultures.org\/blog\/publication\/critical-meme-reader-global-mutations-of-the-viral-image\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_7_1","volume-title":"Mamma Mia: On Accidentally Going Viral. https:\/\/audreyarmstrongwriter.wordpress.com\/2022\/04\/27\/mamma-mia-on-accidentally-going-viral\/","author":"Armstrong Audrey","year":"2022","unstructured":"Audrey Armstrong. 2022. Mamma Mia: On Accidentally Going Viral. https:\/\/audreyarmstrongwriter.wordpress.com\/2022\/04\/27\/mamma-mia-on-accidentally-going-viral\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_8_1","unstructured":"Amy Coney Barrett. 2024. Vivek H. Murthy Surgeon General et al. v. Missouri et al. https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/23pdf\/23--4113dq3.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3479574"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3544548.3581107"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2470654.2470658"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/20563051221086241"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3134659"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_14_1","volume-title":"The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America","author":"Boorstin Daniel J.","year":"1992","unstructured":"Daniel J. Boorstin. 1992. The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Google-Books-ID: a2_rlvSfUPUC."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1632\/pmla.2015.130.2.453"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_16_1","volume-title":"Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis","author":"Charmaz Kathy","unstructured":"Kathy Charmaz. 2006. Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis 1st edition ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd, London ; Thousand Oaks, Calif.","edition":"1"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3641825.3689519"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3476080"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3555105"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3173574.3173694"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3025453.3025659"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2858036.2858494"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Joshua Gamson. 1994. Claims to Fame: Celebrity in Contemporary America.","DOI":"10.1525\/9780520914155"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-anthro-081309--145822"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_25_1","volume-title":"The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life","author":"Goffman Erving","unstructured":"Erving Goffman. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor, New York."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5117\/CCR2022.2.004.GUIN"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1609\/icwsm.v16i1.19289"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3579609"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3610169"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_30_1","volume-title":"How TikTok ate the internet. The Washington Post (Oct","author":"Harwell Drew","year":"2022","unstructured":"Drew Harwell. 2022. How TikTok ate the internet. The Washington Post (Oct. 2022). https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/interactive\/2022\/tiktok-popularity\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1609\/icwsm.v16i1.19295"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/19312450709336664"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_33_1","unstructured":"Alex Heath. 2023. Inside TikTok's transparency center. https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2023\/2\/2\/23583491\/tiktok-transparency-center-tour-photos-bytedance"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MCSE.2007.55"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3359294"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3476046"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_37_1","first-page":"400","article-title":"Personal influence: the part played by people in the flow of mass communications. Free Press, New York, NY","author":"Katz Elihu","year":"1955","unstructured":"Elihu Katz and Paul F. Lazarsfeld. 1955. Personal influence: the part played by people in the flow of mass communications. Free Press, New York, NY, US. Pages: xx, 400.","journal-title":"US. Pages"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1367549420945341"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3555575"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3555601"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/08838151.2012.705195"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305116633482"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978--3-030--21902--417"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3173574.3174040"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978--3--319--22668--219"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MSEC.2022.3201585"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_47_1","volume-title":"Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation","author":"Marantz Andrew","year":"2019","unstructured":"Andrew Marantz. 2019. Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation first edition ed.). Viking, New York."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_48_1","volume-title":"Celebrity and Power: Fame in Contemporary Culture","author":"Marshall P. David","unstructured":"P. David Marshall. 1997. Celebrity and Power: Fame in Contemporary Culture. University of Minnesota Press. https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/10.5749\/j.ctt7zw6qj"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444810365313"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_50_1","volume-title":"Social Media and Technology","author":"Massarat Emily A.","year":"2022","unstructured":"Emily A. Massarat, Risa Gelles-Watnick, and Navid Massarat. 2022. Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022. https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/2022\/08\/10\/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_51_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3613904.3642177"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.11613\/BM.2013.018"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3627508.3638341"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.48550\/arXiv.2404.07340"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_55_1","volume-title":"Going Viral","author":"Nahon Karine","unstructured":"Karine Nahon and Jeff Hemsley. 2013. Going Viral 1st edition ed.). Polity, Cambridge, England.","edition":"1"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_56_1","first-page":"119","article-title":"Privacy as Contextual Integrity","volume":"79","author":"Nissenbaum Helen","year":"2004","unstructured":"Helen Nissenbaum. 2004. Privacy as Contextual Integrity. Washington Law Review, Vol. 79, 1 (2004), 119--158. https:\/\/heinonline.org\/HOL\/P?h=hein.journals\/washlr79&i=129","journal-title":"Washington Law Review"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_57_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3501247.3531573"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_58_1","unstructured":"Andrew Nord. 2024. drawrowfly\/tiktok-scraper. https:\/\/github.com\/drawrowfly\/tiktok-scraper original-date: 2019--10--23T07:47:40Z."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_59_1","volume-title":"Arto Ilmari Kekkonen, and Juho Ilmari P\u00e4\u00e4kk\u00f6nen","author":"P\u00f6yry Essi Ilona","year":"2018","unstructured":"Essi Ilona P\u00f6yry, Salla-Maaria Laaksonen, Arto Ilmari Kekkonen, and Juho Ilmari P\u00e4\u00e4kk\u00f6nen. 2018. Anatomy of Viral Social Media Events. (2018). https:\/\/helda.helsinki.fi\/handle\/10138\/237224 Accepted: 2018-07--20T14:50:01Z Publisher: University of Hawai'i at Manoa."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_60_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1354856517736983"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_61_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3637300"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_62_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3544548.3581257"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_63_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1163\/004726609X12482630041889"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_64_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02773945.2023.2251454"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_65_1","unstructured":"Chris Rojek. 2004. Celebrity. Reaktion Books. https:\/\/press.uchicago.edu\/ucp\/books\/book\/distributed\/C\/bo3536674.html"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_66_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3584931.3606984"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_67_1","first-page":"0","article-title":"Communicative Forms on TikTok: Perspectives From Digital Ethnography","volume":"15","author":"Schellewald Andreas","year":"2021","unstructured":"Andreas Schellewald. 2021. Communicative Forms on TikTok: Perspectives From Digital Ethnography. International Journal of Communication, Vol. 15, 0 (Feb. 2021), 21. https:\/\/ijoc.org\/index.php\/ijoc\/article\/view\/16414 Number: 0.","journal-title":"International Journal of Communication"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_68_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/20563051221077025"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_69_1","volume-title":"Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks new edition ed.)","author":"Senft Theresa M.","year":"2008","unstructured":"Theresa M. Senft. 2008. Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks new edition ed.). Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers, New York."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_70_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3415165"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_71_1","volume-title":"TikTok says US ban is inevitable without a court order blocking law","author":"Shepardson David","year":"2024","unstructured":"David Shepardson. 2024. TikTok says US ban is inevitable without a court order blocking law. Reuters (June 2024). https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/tiktok-says-us-ban-is-inevitable-without-court-order-blocking-law-2024-06--20\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_72_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3432951"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_73_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3544548.3580649"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_74_1","unstructured":"TikTok. 2020a. Creator Fund. https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/creators\/creator-portal\/en-us\/getting-paid-to-create\/creator-fund\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_75_1","unstructured":"TikTok. 2020b. How TikTok recommends videos #ForYou. https:\/\/newsroom.tiktok.com\/en-us\/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_76_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1367877906064028"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_77_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3614419.3644023"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_78_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tate.2022.103978"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_79_1","volume-title":"Contagious: Cultures, Carriers, and the Outbreak Narrative","author":"Wald Priscilla","year":"2008","unstructured":"Priscilla Wald. 2008. Contagious: Cultures, Carriers, and the Outbreak Narrative 1st edition ed.). Duke University Press Books, Durham.","edition":"1"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_80_1","volume-title":"Stardom: The Hollywood phenomenon","author":"Walker Alexander","year":"1970","unstructured":"Alexander Walker. 1970. Stardom: The Hollywood phenomenon first edition ed.). Joseph, London."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_81_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.21105\/joss.03021"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_82_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/9780471462422.eoct979"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_83_1","volume-title":"UN Global Pulse, and IFRC","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2020","unstructured":"World Health Organization, United Nations, UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO, UNAIDS, ITU, UN Global Pulse, and IFRC. 2020. Managing the COVID-19 infodemic: Promoting healthy behaviours and mitigating the harm from misinformation and disinformation. https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/23-09--2020-managing-the-covid-19-infodemic-promoting-healthy-behaviours-and-mitigating-the-harm-from-misinformation-and-disinformation"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_84_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3359321"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_85_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3577213"}],"container-title":["Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/3711001","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1145\/3711001","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,21]],"date-time":"2025-08-21T09:33:45Z","timestamp":1755768825000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/3711001"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]},"references-count":85,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1145\/3711001"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/3711001","relation":{},"ISSN":["2573-0142"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2573-0142","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-05-02","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}