MRP Spotlight: Nathan Scott deconstructs TikTok’s For You page at Charles Street Video

What does it mean for a digital system to "know" who you are? For Master of Digital Media (MDM) student Nathan Scott (Cohort 18), this question served as the catalyst for his Major Research Project (MRP), "I Made This for You". Recently showcased at the Charles Street Video gallery during its July 24th–26th run, the installation bridges the gap between digital identity and physical reality.

Driven by a curiosity about how online spaces shape our perception of self, Scott set out to examine TikTok’s For You Page (FYP). While the algorithm claims to serve hyper-personalized content, its underlying mechanics operate on a far different logic than human psychology’s notion of identity. Rather than conducting traditional empirical research, Scott leveraged creative artistic practice to critique these invisible architectures, transitioning high-level theory into a tangible, immersive environment.

"I was really interested in thinking about how you can use art or creative practice as a way to critique some of these ideas, or at least look at them in a new light that empirical research struggles to articulate."

The Experience & Interaction

Stepping into the single-room installation at Charles Street Video felt like entering a living digital system. Positioned squarely in the middle of the room stood an "algorithmic mirror,” a large, vertically mounted television screen resembling the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Surrounding walls undulated with ambient, water-like blue shapes, creating a shifting ocean of media.

When visitors stepped in front of the vertical screen, it reflected their silhouette, composed entirely of TikTok videos, with the movement matching their motions. Beside the screen, a control panel allowed users to manipulate the feed's content focus, manually adjusting category sliders like gaming, anime, or lipsync videos to see if an algorithm could truly construct a faithful mirror of self.

Nathan shared some fascinating audience behaviors that emerged over the course of the exhibition. 

“The more that people tried to shift and change the weightings in a very specific combination that felt more accurate to them, the more that the actual reflection would kind of lose its meaning. It would just become a little bit too noisy. Versus, if you were just to crank up the video games category, all the way up to 100, then your reflection felt a lot more distinct, because there were more common visual patterns in the types of videos that you saw.”

Technical Precision Meets Artistic Vision

To build this dynamic interface, Scott seamlessly blended live interactive media software, open-source tools, and custom code. His tech pipeline consisted of multiple programs, softwares and tech such as TouchDesigner, Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), Javascript, Python, and a Microsoft Kinect camera. He used Claude Code as an AI coding "co-pilot" to refine code syntax and troubleshoot structural builds. By using generative AI strictly as an execution partner, Scott maintained complete creative direction while realizing a highly sophisticated technical vision. Committing to the overall vision he even composed the music that played throughout the exhibit using the live coding platform Strudel, to get the exact vibe he wanted people to feel when in the immersive environment.

The MDM Incubator

Reflecting on his journey through the MDM program at Toronto Metropolitan University, Scott credits the interdisciplinary environment for giving him both the technical vocabulary and critical rigor required for the installation.

Access to hands-on virtual production workflows through TMU's Creative School gave him the confidence to manage complex media pipelines. Concurrently, faculty mentorship, specifically guidance from Professor Richard Lachman and Assistant Professor Tommy Ting, helped sharpen the project’s critical lens. Rather than presenting interactive tech for technology's sake, the program supported Scott in crafting a work that directly interrogated digital culture. Additionally, collaborating with community partner Charles Street Video through their makerspace residency provided the crucial gallery infrastructure to bring the work to life.

What’s Next 

Following his MRP defence, Scott hopes to become more involved in immersive media and mixed reality spaces in a professional capacity. Either independently presenting in galleries and exhibitions or in commercial and experiential arts sectors, designing brand activations, museum installations, and public digital experiences.

When asked what advice he would share with incoming MDM students preparing to embark on their own MRPs, Scott emphasized the importance of entering the program with a clear direction:

"There's so many things to explore that it's good to come in with a point of view around what you really want to look at... Having at least a sense of what you want to explore or get curious around ahead of time helps organize your thinking and builds a clear path where you can see your progression stack up."

Connect with Nathan: LinkedIn (external link, opens in new window)  | Instagram (external link, opens in new window) 

'I Made This for You' at Charles Street Video