TikTok & Teens: A Controversial Duo
By: Fatema Dinary
TikTok has grown in popularity in the past years since its remodel from Musical.ly in August 2018. With its short 15 second videos and easy content creation, viewing and sharing, this platform became a hotbed for community bonding and localized trends. But due to its addictive nature and competitive style, TikTok social media has drawn many teens and a few adults into questioning actions degrading in morality and common sense.
Gentle Minions TikTok Trend
With the launch of "Minions: The Rise of Gru" the latest film in the "Despicable Me" franchise this July users across the globe participated in a that caused havoc and chaos in local theaters. Many wore black suits and proceeded to become rambunctious causing havoc and chaos whenever a minion appeared on screen. One family reported a group of loud teenagers creating such an uproar that they had to be escorted by police. Another movie theater refunded $1,300+ worth of tickets in a single day. While many others banned guests wearing suits to enter cinemas. Many movie goers reacted in fear to these abrasive acts citing swearing, abusive behavior, and physical damage to the workers on behalf of these teenagers.
Devious Licks Challenge
Five seconds of fame. Several highschool TikTok users took to vandalizing school property, stealing obscure objects just for the fun of it, and then posting public videos for the pride and glory of such a disrespectful act. It was almost as though the students were ratting themselves out and completely disregarding the cost and consequences of such immature behavior. Even though this trend died off, who's to say the damage has been repaired? The broken doors, stolen signs, shredded books have they been restocked and renovated? Many schools already have a limited budget to begin with and such added stress only stretches resources beyond their limit.
Kia Boyz and Hyundai Challenge
If school vandalism wasn’t bad enough, how do you explain stolen cars? TikTok users have attempted stealing these two model cars in an effort to be #trendy while in reality are any of these actions sensible. Some have even had the audacity to post step-by-step tutorials on how to break into these models which seem to have a less advanced security system. Such model cars without push-start buttons can be forced to start up through USB charging cords. Videos posted on accounts on social media show many breaking off the dashboard and jump starting the car with a simple charger. Columbus, Ohio officials reported that the issue is especially prevalent in that area. Many teens think of this act as a game and status symbol, however the ugly truth is that such ideas only lead to more thefts, trouble, and dangerous consequences.
Social media has always been a way for the community to unite and a technological revolution in the way people interact on a daily basis. However, such a disturbance in public health and peace is quite a different matter. Teenagers especially are being dragged into not so safe situations damaging to themselves and others because of the compelling reality of fame, fortune, and viral videos. Social media was only ever made for public entertainment yet recently these outlets have risked the general wellbeing of communities across the United States.
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/minions-movie-makes-history-trend-havoc-theater-owners/story?id=86305691
https://www.today.com/news/news/kia-hyundai-vehicle-theft-increased-tiktok-trend-kia-boyz-rcna41058