TikTok’s silent curriculum: How algorithmic content shapes ethical and civic understanding among Nigerian undergraduates

Dunmade, Aderinola Ololade

doi:10.22059/jcss.2026.407271.1209

TikTok’s silent curriculum: How algorithmic content shapes ethical and civic understanding among Nigerian undergraduates

Document Type : Original article

Author

Aderinola Ololade Dunmade

Department of Library and Information Science, University of Ilorin Nigeria, Ilorin, Nigeria.

10.22059/jcss.2026.407271.1209

Abstract

Background: In the age of algorithmic media, TikTok has become a significant informal learning space for Generation Z, especially in shaping perceptions of ethics, power, and justice.
Aims: This study examines how final-year Library and Information Science students at the University of Ilorin engage with TikTok’s “silent curriculum”, a set of implicit and emotionally charged lessons embedded in short video content. Guided by informal learning theory, critical media literacy, and research on algorithmic governance, the study investigates how students interpret and absorb ethical and civic messages encountered on the platform.
Methodology: Using qualitative design, 12 active TikTok users reflected on the platform’s educational influence. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews and digital diaries over four weeks.
Findings: The students often encounter content related to social justice, mental health, gender identity, and political commentary, commonly communicated through humour, storytelling, and aesthetic trends. These engagements support reflection and awareness, yet they are shaped by algorithmic patterns that promote particular narratives while limiting others. The study shows that TikTok can serve both as a participatory space for civic learning and as a platform where performative ethics and misinformation circulate. For Library and Information Science students, this raises important questions about their future responsibilities as ethical managers of digital content.
Conclusion: The paper recommends a redesign of digital literacy approaches to include emotional awareness, ethical judgement, and understanding of platform structures. By centring the perspectives of Nigerian Gen Z students, the study adds to knowledge on how digital platforms act as instructional agents in contemporary civic learning.

Keywords

algorithmic governance

civic engagement

critical media literacy

digital diaries

informal learning practices

generation (Gen Z) Z research

platform awareness

Subjects

media

Main Object: Media, Social informatics, Digital generations research, Social media research

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