‘Breaking the Cocoons’: Breaking through the ‘Information Cocoons’ in the New Media Era - Taking TikTok Platform as an Example

Abstract

The rapid advancement of the new media era has accelerated the evolution of social media, making these platforms the primary channels for users to access information. While the personalized recommendation algorithms employed by social media platforms facilitate more accurate and convenient information delivery, they also contribute to narrowing of content exposure. These phenomenon results in information isolation, where users become trapped within “information cocoons” on the Internet. Drawing on communication theories and the concept of "information cocoons," this article uses the short video platform Tiktok as a case study to explore the causes and implications of this issue. It also proposes strategies for “breaking the cocoon” in the new media landscape.