New Publication: Governing Sexism on TikTok

A new article by Luisa Runge, Christian Katzenbach, and Miira Hill has just been published in Feminist Media Studies. Examining TikTok’s community guidelines and corporate communication, the study reveals how the platform's progressive narratives of empowerment often clash with ambiguous policies that obscure the structural dimensions of sexism.

We are excited to share that this article by our lab member Luisa Runge, lab head Christian Katzenbach and Miira Hill has just been published in Feminist Media Studies!

“Governing sexism on TikTok: ambiguities and tensions in community guidelines and corporate communication”

How does TikTok address sexism and how does its public communication align with its governance practices? The article examines TikTok’s U.S. community guidelines and Newsroom communication between 2018 and 2022. It shows that while sexism and related issues have gained visibility over time, TikTok’s approach remains marked by ambiguities and inconsistencies. Progressive narratives of empowerment and diversity coexist with guidelines that often address sexism implicitly and obscure its structural dimensions.

The findings highlight how platforms not only regulate content but also shape how gender, sexuality, and sexism are understood. By examining corporate communication and community guidelines together, the article shows how tensions between progressive self-representation and platform governance can reproduce existing inequalities, even as marginalized users become increasingly visible.

Read the full article:

Runge, L., Katzenbach, C., & Hill, M. (2026). Governing sexism on TikTok: ambiguities and tensions in community guidelines and corporate communication. Feminist Media Studies, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2026.2697472