Sonic Contagion and the Typologies of Hate on TikTok

This article proposes a theoretical framework and typology for understanding how sound acts as a conduit for hate on TikTok. It introduces two key concepts: sonic hate, which refers to the use of sound to encode and amplify bigotry, and sonic contagion, the algorithmic spread of ideologically charged audio through emotional repetition and remixing. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from musicology, sound studies, media theory, and critical race studies, the article presents a four-part typology—direct lyrical reference, emotive suggestions, contextual juxtaposition, and sonic dog whistles—to examine how antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racialized mockery are propagated and normalized within TikTok’s sonic ecosystem. By considering sound both as a method and medium, the article provides new analytical tools for understanding how digital hate is not only visualized or verbalized, but also heard, felt, and made viral.