Worst TikTok Trends Of All Time
TikTok’s had a crummy reputation right from the start. On the one hand, the social media app can be a terrific platform buzzing with creativity and informative content. Yet, on the other hand, there are a bunch of toxic trends floating around that can only be classified as downright offensive.
With that being said, let’s take a look back at some of the Worst TikTok Trends of All Time. (Warning: these trends are so atrocious they might inspire you to delete the app altogether.)
“Introduce Yourself as Why Girls Hate You” Challenge
In this TikTok challenge, girls — and sometimes guys — list their number one reason why girls supposedly can’t stand them. Whether it’s because they’re pretty, have a fine physique, or attract a massive amount of male attention, the challenge is rubbing a lot of TikTok users in the wrong way.
Many users believe this app promotes internalized misogyny since the purpose of the challenge is to pit women against each other. While some content creators troll with this challenge by adding a feminist twist, for the most part, the “introduce yourself as why girls hate you” challenge unpleasantly divides women.
“Guess My Age” Challenge
In the “guess my age” challenge, TikTok users flaunt how young they look compared to their actual age. These videos are done over a soundbite, which says: “This sound is for everyone who looks younger than their actual age, and people never believe them when you tell them how old you are.” While there’s nothing inherently wrong with boasting about how nubile you look in comparison to your actual age, this challenge can be perceived as harmful due to its glorification of youth. Now more than ever, younger generations are consumed by overblown, toxic beauty standards, which include obsessing about staying as youthful-looking as possible. This trend only seems to further promote our culture’s fear of getting older, despite aging being a natural (and beautiful!) phase of life.
Cringey Wedding Vows
One of the worst — and cringiest — TikTok trends we’re seeing lately is the (purposefully?) bad wedding vows. In these wedding vows, grooms seem to deliberately degrade their brides solely for the purpose of gaining views.
Of course, this noxious trend has been met with a wave of criticism since these far-from-tasteful vows are declaimed in front of friends and family. Yeah, not exactly the wedding of our dreams.
Nyquil Chicken Challenge
TikTok has long been home to some of the craziest culinary recipes imaginable. From Watermelon Barbeque Pizza — ewww — to Pickle Jello Hot Dogs, it’s safe to say that these recipes are far from what you’d call mouthwatering.
Yet, while most of these recipes are harmless (albeit gross), some are downright dangerous. Cue, the Nyquil Chicken Challenge. Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds.
In the NyQuil Chicken Challenge, TikTok users saute their chicken in the iconic Cough, Cold & Flu medicine. Why are people doing this?!?!? Apparently, to cure cold symptoms.
According to the Food & Drug Administration and doctors, this trend is highly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
Girl Dinner
Girl Dinner is a seemingly harmless TikTok trend that showcases women enjoying cheese and crackers as their final meal of the day — basically, a charcuterie board. One of the alleged perks of this trending meal is that it takes no effort to make. Just throw together a couple of things, and voilà! You’re set.
While Girl Dinner is intended to be all in good fun, the trending meal (or lack-there-of) has put dietitians on edge. According to health experts, Girl Dinner can promote disordered eating habits. A meal full of highly processed foods may taste delicious, but it certainly doesn’t have the necessary nutrients we need to function.
Filming people without their knowledge
Any TikTok trend that involves filming people in public without their knowledge and consent is a huge red flag. It should be obvious that this behavior is extremely questionable. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop people from continuing to film individuals without their consent merely for the sake of views. Not cool!
Alpha Male TikTok
Alpha Male TikTok is one of the most problematic subgenres on the app. Some of the men who identify as Alpha Male wind up promoting toxic masculinity as well as misogynist mindsets. Yeah, no thanks!
Lip Syncing
Lip Syncing videos are all in good fun, but there’s something about promoting mediocrity that pisses people off. In lip-sync videos, whether lip-syncing songs or comedy bits, people are being praised and promoted for appropriating — ie: stealing! — creative works that they didn’t create.
At the end of the day, there’s no harm in these videos, but they’re totally annoying cause these people have no originality — and no talent.
Reaction Videos
In a similar vein, Reaction Videos are another mindless TikTok trend that fails to inspire any form of creativity. When people just sit back and film themselves reacting to another person’s creation, it promotes getting away with doing the bare minimum merely for views.
Looksmaxxing
Looksmaxxing is a dangerous subcategory on TikTok, in which young men fixate obsessively over their perceived physical flaws. Then, they get it fixed by nearly breaking their jaws in the process. While it’s not wrong to want to improve your outer appearance, some people in the “Looksmaxxing” world are taking it way too far.
Boy Mom
The Boy Mom TikTok trend promotes the negative notion that sons are inherently more lovable than daughters. For these toxic “boy moms” of TikTok, they're pretty vocal with their internalized misogyny and try to turn it into something quirky. Newsflash: it’s not.
Prank Videos
While there’s nothing wrong with a few harmless pranks, some people take Prank Video off the rails purely for the sake of content. The idea of putting people through distress for the sake of views puts a bad taste in our mouths.
Couples Content
Couples Content can be inspirational for some TikTok users, there’s no denying it. But when content creators commodify their entire relationship, it runs the risk of sucking all the romance out of the dynamic. Every cute moment has to be filmed, right? So what’s genuine and what’s being faked for the cameras? Who knows? Do the couples even know themselves?