Universe or Algorithm?

Spiritual TikTok is on the rise, is it a sign?

Kirsty Frame, Ngāti Kahungunu, (she/her)

“If you’re seeing this video on your for you page, this is a sign. This message is meant for you.”

I glance up to my clock–11:12 p.m., close enough. My thumb pauses while a TikTok account by the name SpiritualDivine9 shuffles tarot cards as if they weigh bricks, sending several flying from the pack. Those are my chosen cards. 

“Someone has recently walked away and made you feel abandoned. The Universe wants to reassure you, this is a meaningful connection. This person is your twin flame.”

(He wasn’t)

“These heavy feelings won’t last long. Be patient. They are running back soon.”

(He didn’t)

“Like and follow to claim” 

… I did. 

This stupid clock app has been bombarding me with ‘signs’ ever since that fateful evening last year. My TikTok feed has snowballed into so-called SpiritualTok, and it all began with my silly little thumb pressing down on the blackmirror. 

It’s clear that TikTok is making waves in pop-culture. It sparks a user experience that’s uniquely matched to our distinct taste buds, which is what makes it so hard to put down. In the last year there’s also been an increased draw into the worlds of astrology, manifestation, tarot, and overall spiritual enlightenment—mostly because the world’s turning to shit and that’s stressful. Many of us have lost control of our lives in one way or another and we found ourselves seeking light at the end of a tunnel. The surge in consumers and creators on TikTok, combined with a wide need for hope, has created an interesting environment to say the least. But there’s something about this side that feels odd. 

TikTok is home to many experts of many fields who use the app as a valuable tool to educate. Those in the spiritual fields are no different, especially as many disciples are inherently inclusive. But as some creators and consumers are beginning to point out, there’s an increase of inauthenticity as the popularity grows. Some creators are misrepresenting or romanticising spiritual practises, and manipulating the algorithm. It’s fame that’s the trouble, because this app is made for it. 

Red flag number one is the videos with conditions. Last time I got an in-person tarot reading, I didn’t have to give them an online rating in order for my cards to become reality.  Many tarot TikTokers ask us to like, comment, share, or follow their account to “lock in”, or “claim” the reading they just gave. It feels very Facebook 2011, ‘share this before midnight or your dad will die’. But honestly, a lot of us still follow through based on what-ifs. 

Thumb interactions are powerfully observed on TikTok, and by hitting any account you enter a new virtual community that’s entirely manufactured. It’s all about the algorithm, and many creators know that. I spoke with Dr Angi Buettner, a senior lecturer in our School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies, with special interests in TikTok and digital cultures, to help get my head around it.

“Tik Tok is really a machine, it’s driven entirely by algorithms”, she tells me, noting that unlike our other social media, TikTok doesn’t need a social-network. “It watches you all the time, and builds a model of who you are and what you might like”.

Video information, such as captions, sounds, hashtags, filters associated with a particular video is matched with videos inside the algorithm. So it’s statistically more likely that videos of “if you’re seeing this, this is a sign” are on your feed because of the algorithm, not the Universe.

With a good algorithm comes better odds to stardom, and as Dr Buettner says, most viral creators are actually cultivated by the company itself. “When TikTok sees a strong algorithmic hit, and sees a trend, they can target and amplify it.”

And it’s even the established creators that can be manipulating the app. Take Maren Altman for example. She’s a viral TikTok astrologer with a million followers and over 30 million likes. She gained her fame late last year with her complex astrological explanations and predictions of the future. Between her revenue on TikTok, Youtube, Instagram and her website course, she earns multiple thousands each month. 

Earlier this year it was revealed in a turbulent expose that she’d actually stolen content from a number of BIPOC creators, with awful bullying along the way. She’d been seen to comment on different astrology videos, criticising their theories, but then post them as her own sometime after. Her comments under various TikTok videos, combined with her viral presence meant that she looked like the more credible and trusted astrologer. Though this is a great example of some much needed justice with a touch of cancel-culture, it’s an outlier because TikTok is so deep. 

Cultural appropriation is a massive issue in this space because TikTok’s algorithm provides the perfect conditions to gentrify and commodify, which is the overarching issue with SpiritualTok’s rise in popularity. It’s also essential to remember that TikTok has an awful history of leaving BIPOC and minority groups out of the spotlight via algorithm. This is allowing for many of these inexperienced, white creators to be amplified. As an example, burning sage has been increasingly popular both inside and outside of TikTok. #sagebcleansing shows white people burning sage and promoting its benefits as a universal wellbeing balm. But that’s a far stretch from an ancient and sacred Native American practice, also with a history of discrimination. The 180 turn of white Americans popularising sage is in complete contradiction with their grandparents, who in the 70s made it illegal for Native Americans to use sage. Today sage is in high demand and even the foundation for businesses in the States.

The overarching issue among all these micro-communities on TikTok is how easily creators can establish themselves, and how easily we eat their content up. As consumers we’re scary-easily influenced, and don’t question enough, especially so when we’re being allured into a sense of stability and enrichment. There’s a sense of magic to these practises that feels somewhat tangible, unlike in our imaginations as kids. But now we have big-kid EFTPOS cards, and can take our influences into the world to naively buy a crystal because they’re viral. 

As Dr Buettner says, “we need to know how the business and the industry works, so that we are informed and can be informed consumers rather than just being consumed.” She reminds us, “if you are not paying for the product, you are the product.” 

So do we just throw our phones into the ocean and be done with all this? Probably not. While we know this popularisation and gentrification of spirituality is causing issues, there are still many genuine and experienced creators in this space. So many of these practises are made to be inclusive. We as the consumer need to be genuine in our intentions to begin practising some of these disciplines, and not half-arse it because our attention spans are messy. Do your research, take your time, and know that some practises are not for white people. 

And remember, if the tarots are telling you he’s coming back—he’s probably not.