HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY REVISITED IN THE AGE OF TIKTOK
Keywords:
Hypodermic Needle Theory, Magic Bullet Theory, TikTok, social media, algorithmic influence, digital communication, media effects, political communication, viral content, audience behavior, artificial intelligence, misinformation, algorithmic amplification, digital culture, media psychology, social influence, communication theory, online activism, media literacy, personalized algorithms.Abstract
This article examines the relevance of the Hypodermic Needle Theory in the era of TikTok and algorithm-driven communication. The study analyzes how TikTok’s recommendation system, short-video format, and viral content culture influence audience behavior, political communication, and social interaction in the digital age. Drawing on contemporary communication theories and recent scholarly research, the article explores whether modern social media platforms recreate conditions similar to the direct media effects proposed by early mass communication theorists. The research further discusses the role of algorithmic personalization, misinformation, digital activism, and audience participation in shaping public opinion and online behavior. The article concludes that although audiences today are more active and media-literate than earlier generations, TikTok’s algorithmic structure demonstrates that media technologies still possess significant persuasive and psychological power in contemporary society.
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