The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in a Fast Scrolling World: Gen Z's Social Experience with Tiktok Velocity

This study aims to understand how Generation Z experiences FoMO in the context of their participation in the Velocity trend on TikTok. The Velocity trend, characterized by rapid transitions, visual aesthetics, and audio synchronization, has become a dominant creative expression among young users. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, data were obtained through in-depth interviews with five Gen Z informants who actively use TikTok and reside in the South Tangerang area. The results show that TikTok's FYP is the main gateway that shapes users' consumption patterns and engagement with digital trends. FoMO appears in various forms, such as passive, such as simply observing to stay socially relevant, and active, such as the urge to create and improve technical skills. This study also found that FoMO encourages participation and can cause emotional distress, especially when users feel unable to meet digital performative standards. These findings are relevant to theories of cultural digital involvement and algorithmic distribution, strengthening the understanding of Gen Z's emotional dynamics in social media spaces.