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arXiv · 2609.09331

Ephemeral Feeds and Enduring Rituals: RushTok and the Formation of Event-Based Algorithmic Communities

Emelia Hughes·Tim Weninger
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Abstract

Each August, TikTok's For You page turns the University of Alabama's sorority recruitment into RushTok. We examine RushTok as an event-based algorithmic community: a collective assembled around a bounded offline ritual and sustained by recommendation. Using a mixed-methods survey (n=71) and a reflexive account of creator outreach, we ask who participates, how, and with what stakes. Findings show an ambiguous and entertainment based throughline; many called it a community (51/71) but few claimed membership (11/71). Affiliation centered on creators rather than shared practices, with parasocial attention clustering around a small set of potential new members (PNMs) and returning figures. Higher content exposure tracked with self-identification as a community member; those members commented, followed creators, and engaged across videos. Attempts to interview creators were met with silence or refusals, reflecting community boundary-work despite viral visibility. We outline implications for platform governance, including time-bounded context, graduated visibility, and aftercare.

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Emelia Hughes, Tim Weninger. 2026-09-08. Ephemeral Feeds and Enduring Rituals: RushTok and the Formation of Event-Based Algorithmic Communities. https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.09331

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