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The Conversation

Christine H. Tran, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

What the 'NPC streaming' TikTok trend spells for the future of gaming and erotic work

TikTok NPC Twitch Ludwig Ahgren

Livestreaming represents an increasingly important part of social media. (KnowYourMeme), CC BY

“Yes, yes… mmm, mmm ice cream so good,” coos a platinum-haired woman known on TikTok as Pinkydoll. Holding a hair straightener, she plays with popcorn kernels and audibly pops her lips. Your screen brightens with emojis of food, roses and stars purchased by her audience. What are we watching? Why?

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