“A Few Minutes of Fun, Probably Saves Their Sanity”: Consuming and Producing the Experiences of Incarcerated Individuals in Prison via #prisontiktok

Abstract

During the early months of 2019, the social media platform TikTok skyrocketed to worldwide popularity. Content on TikTok posted by its “creators” (users) is diverse and includes lip-syncing, dancing, sports, cooking, and daily vlogging. “Prison TikTok” is a particularly popular content area and provides the public with insight into the prison experience from those who have been in or currently reside in prison. This article explores what incarcerated individuals share with the public on TikTok about the prison experience. Our thematic analysis of 34 TikTok videos revealed four main topics that currently incarcerated individuals presented to the public via TikTok: the prison environment, food, performances, and aspects of prison life and culture. In addition, 102 user comments associated with these videos were analyzed to explore public perceptions of incarcerated individuals’ experiences and incarcerated individuals on TikTok. This analysis revealed that incarcerated individuals are perceived as deserving of sympathy, ridiculous, guides/informants, and talent/entertainers. The current research is one of the first of its kind, as it provides an exploratory look at what incarcerated individuals are sharing via Tik-Tok about their prison experiences and how the public is responding.