Coronavirus has ravaged countries around the world, forcing people indoors to mitigate the spread and drastically altering their ways of life. But according to one TikTok user, the light at the end of the tunnel is near. 

British pop singer and self-proclaimed psychic Chiara King (@chiarakingmusic) shared her rosy forecast for the trajectory of the coronavirus in the coming months. Over the entrancing beat to Maribou State’s “Tongue,” King laid out three simple steps that will usher a return to our old way of life by summer:  “There will be a vaccine found during April. Lockdowns will be lifted in May. Life will be back to normal in June.”

You heard it here, folks: Coronavirus is canceled.

King is no slouch on TikTok. Many of her videos—which often involve her dancing/lip-syncing to rap and pop songs or joking about her love life—have earned hundreds of thousands of views. Her coronavirus video, however, vaulted to a whole new level, earning a staggering 17.8 million views. Apparently, favorable coronavirus predictions transcend established fandoms.

Honestly, I can’t tell if King’s video is supposed to be sincere or satirical. None of her predictions have come true yet, but hey, there are still two weeks left in April—plenty of time for scientists to make a Hail Mary and whip up a vaccine. King even pokes fun at the futility of politicians and doctors feuding over who knows more about the coronavirus in a separate TikTok.

Here’s hoping her psychic powers are finely tuned and Miss Rona is on her way out by summer.

READ MORE:

• TikTok user claims she resurrected her dead fish in this video
• These creative TikTok videos let you experience taking a flight—at home
• People are in love with the dad behind this ‘Dadosaur’ TikTok

The post TikTok ‘psychic’ claims she knows what will happen with coronavirus appeared first on The Daily Dot.

The 2016 song “River” by British singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs has been a staple of dance studios on YouTube for at least two years now—by dancers who perform seductive, sultry moves by sitting backward on a chair, facing away from the camera. More recently, however, the song and dance routine has made its way to TikTok, where many users are spoofing these videos with “Run Me Like a River” parody dance moves

The first known instance of the “Run Me Like A River” dance appearing on the platform, according to Know Your Meme, occurred in June of 2019, when TikTok user Lidia Sabini uploaded the following clip—complete with strobe effects. In the 10 months since it was uploaded, the video has received nearly 730,000 “likes,” at the time of this writing.

In the months that followed, other users began parodying her “Run Me Like a River” video, particularly Sabini’s long, flowing hair and, uh, thicc backside. Some of the more popular examples came from verified user Joe Albanese and TV host Howie Mandel. (Albanese and Mandel’s videos have received nearly three million and over one million likes since being uploaded, respectively.)

Others spoofed the video by dressing as Deadpool, staging “Run Me Like a River”-related accidents, and so on.

And even a … *checks notes* … a police officer got in on the fun? Cool, cool.

The meme took on new life this month, however, when a somewhat older TikTok user, Natalie Chalwell, posted her own version of the “Run Me Like a River” challenge with the caption: “When you’re sent to your room for being naughty.”

Say what you will, but the lady has got moves! This is probably why her “Run Me Like a River” video is now nearing one million likes since being uploaded on April 5. But given that the TikTok platform tends to skew younger, some users are riffing off of Chalwell’s contribution by pretending that she’s their mom or teacher.

Hey, there are worse uses of your time in quarantine, so go on and keep those “Run Me Like a River” videos coming!

READ MORE:

• These creative TikTok videos let you experience taking a flight—at home
• People are in love with the dad behind this ‘Dadosaur’ TikTok
• TikTok ‘psychic’ claims she knows what will happen with coronavirus

The post TikTok users are mocking this ‘Run Me Like a River’ chair dance appeared first on The Daily Dot.

We’ve gone from a nation obsessed with Netflix’s Tiger King to one that’s seen behind the curtain and wondered if we made a huge mistake. But that doesn’t mean the content stops.

On TikTok, people are still obsessed. Earlier this month, musician Caleb Jaxin took the Megan Thee Stallion “Savage” dance trend and created his own song about Tiger King‘s Carole Baskin, the flower-crown-wearing zoo owner who is also suspected of killing her husband, Don Lewis.

“Carole Baskin killed her husband, whacked him. Can’t convince me that it didn’t happen,” the lyrics go. “Fed him to tigers, they snackin’. What’s happenin’? Carole Baskin.”

The song has been used in more than 1 million TikToks, and the Daily Dot reached out to Jaxin for some insight into its origin. While some people have just done their own dances to it, others punched it up by cosplaying as rival zoo owner Joe Exotic (currently in jail for plotting to murder Baskin).

Makeup artists put in the work turning themselves into Baskin and Exotic.

The song inspired others to do some DIY art. Or get creative on dating apps.

Even the cast of Riverdale got in on the trend.

It’s easy to see why the song is so popular; it’s a hyper-fusion of two pieces of pop culture. But there’s also a disconnect (that goes beyond TikTok), a troubling though expected impulse to hold the flighty Baskin up as the villain and paint Exotic as some kind of wacky backwoods folk hero. It’s sexism, sure, but it also says something about how we process the grotesque and cruel now.

But, in this difficult time, maybe it’s bringing families together—through Tiger King-themed parties.

READ MORE:

• Woman claiming to be Don Lewis’ granddaughter thinks Carole Baskin is guilty
• Trump says he’ll revisit the case of Joe Exotic from ‘Tiger King’
• Doc Antle from ‘Tiger King’ played a major role in an iconic 2001 Britney Spears VMA performance

The post A mashup of ‘Tiger King’ and ‘Savage’ is fueling TikTok’s obsession appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Have you tried finding a song you heard on TikTok? That song? It can be maddening, especially since the audio is often labeled as something other than the name and artist. It’s changed how we consume songs—we’re hearing them as fragments, divorced from totality, recontextualized in short-form challenges. 

As the New York Times’ Jon Caramanica recently wrote about TikTok, “The platform’s power goes hand in hand with the rise of snippet culture.” Think of recent hits: Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” Roddy Ricch’s “The Box,” the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now,” Ashnikko’s “Stupid,” Jackboys’ “Out West,” and K. Camp’s “Lottery.” We know the truncated versions of these songs. 

In the current quarantine culture, random ideas can take on new life: Curtis Roach’s improvised rap “Bored in the House” was later elevated by rapper Tyga, bored in his own house. Cardi B saying “coronavirus” was quickly sampled and remixed; DJ iMarkkeyz’s remix charted on iTunes. Drake’s “Toosie Slide” started as a snippet of an unreleased song, soundtracking a new TikTok dance. Did Drake purposely release it, bored in his house? Or was this a natural evolution of TikTok’s dance ecosystem? By the time he released the full song (and the accompanying video of Drake Toosie Sliding around his Toronto mansion), it already had a built-in audience. This week, “Toosie Slide” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and the top 10 featured the Weeknd, Roddy Ricch, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and Billie Eilish—all artists whose songs got the TikTok bump. 

But the song that was driving me mad was an older one, and I only knew three notes of it, which I sang to anyone in my vicinity. (More on that song, below.) TikTok is just as helpful for reviving older songs, with younger users reintroducing them. That goes for audio too: A snippet of an old J.G. Wentworth commercial—“I have a structured settlement and I need cash now”—has gone viral as people waited for stimulus checks. This audio from the reality show Little Women: Atlanta is ubiquitous on TikTok, as is this clip from Parks and Recreation.

Catherine Fournier, director of marketing for LyricFind, points to the reemergence of Matthew Wilder’s 1984 hit “Break My Stride” in February as one notable example of an old song getting new shape on TikTok—and landing on Spotify and Apple charts. Users took the lyrics to the first verse and pasted it in texts to friends, family, or significant others.

“It’s interesting to see that transition,” she says. “Lyrics from ‘70s and ‘80s songs being repurposed and, as with any kind of online platform now, a lot of users have that ability to reshape content.”

Here are some of the more ubiquitous, viral, and curious songs that have been revived on TikTok.

1) Bruno Mars, ‘It Will Rain’

This is the song I could not figure out. A Bruno Mars ballad from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 soundtrack! Perhaps because it was modified for a trend: A portion of Mars’ 2011 song was repurposed for TikTok’s Unexpected Me/What I Thought meme, which highlights what parents thought their kids would look like versus reality, or some variation on theme. 

2) Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music, ‘Oops’ 

It’s hard to say definitively if this is the oldest song that’s been revived on TikTok (that might be “Tonight You Belong to Me”) but it’s been used in more than 300,000 clips, mostly to illustrate unrequited love. Producer Tiagz made a pitched-down remix of the song that’s been used in more than 3 million TikToks, and elevated by popular personalities like Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio. 

3) DeJ Loaf, ‘Back Up’ 

This 2015 single has been used in more than 1 million TikToks, and the “I know I know I know” repurposed as an acknowledgment of fact. 

4) Trillville, ‘Some Cut’ 

The 2004 house party song, produced by Lil Jon, charted upon release but the TikTok sample applies the opening “squeak” to a newer trend: people joking about moving to different places in their home during quarantine. 

5) Bill Wurtz, ‘Still a Piece of Garbage’

This declarative ditty originated on Vine, and while it’s been circulating on TikTok for at least a year, it has more recently been used in clips of people checking in from the beds and couches of quarantine. 

6) The Chordettes, ‘Mr. Sandman’

Last summer, a simple video of an oblivious orange tabby nailing the choreography to this 1954 song went viral, as we collectively turned our gaze to our own cats. The 17-year-old creator said she was inspired by others using the same song and TikTok’s nine-camera split filter.

7) Tronco Traxx, ‘Walk 4 Me’

Robbie Tronco’s 1995 house and ballroom classic has been rediscovered and sampled over the years, but the line “I’ll see you after the function” has propped up a relatable TikTok trend. 

8) Cecelia Condit, ‘Possibly in Michigan’

Artist Cecelia Condit’s experimental 1983 video went viral last year on TikTok, as cool teens embraced snippets of lyrics from the 12-minute short film, created with composer Karen Skladany. “Possibly in Michigan” follows two women as they’re stalked by a masked man from the mall to their home, and decide to kill and eat him. The clip circulated on Reddit in 2015, and Condit, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, told the New York Times she’s gotten more of a boost from the internet than galleries. 

9) Chip Tha Ripper, ‘S.L.A.B. Freestyle’

Cleveland rapper Chip Tha Ripper (now known as King Chip) produced an iconic radio show freestyle back in 2007, but the last line became a meme: “Interior crocodile alligator/I drive a Chevrolet movie theater.” According to Know Your Meme, the snippet was posted to the forum Something Awful in 2007, and in 2008 started being used more frequently as a loop on YouTube. Now it’s reached the next stage of its memedom. 

10) Tangerine Kitty, ‘Dumb Ways to Die’

A PSA released in 2012 to promote train safety in Australia, “Dumb Ways to Die” quickly went viral thanks to its straightforward message. Its second (third? fourth?) life on TikTok soundtracks bad decisions and embarrassing moments.

11) Hot Chelle Rae, ‘Tonight Tonight’

This 2011 single from Nashville’s Hot Chelle Rae is one of those upbeat “gonna live forever” songs that was so popular in the 2010s. But its chorus is being used in a different context on TikTok. Our batteries won’t live forever. The band joined TikTok in early March and acknowledged they are the band that sings that song.

12) Ghost Town DJs, ‘My Boo’

Ghost Town DJs 1996 single is eternal. On TikTok, it’s become the song for just vibing and, more importantly, re-upping the 2016 Running Man Challenge. Were we ever so young?

The post The best songs that have been revived on TikTok appeared first on The Daily Dot.

John Krasinski has been doing his part during the pandemic, hosting a YouTube series called Some Good News, in an effort to balance the unceasing stream of bad news. On Friday night, he’s going to host a virtual prom.

Teens on TikTok have already proposed backup plans for canceled proms, and on Thursday Krasinski joined TikTok to announce he’s going to host prom for the class of 2020. Considering teens have been using The Office for promposals for years, this is on brand.

The invitation for the virtual prom notes “John Krasinski and Friends” so there might be some special guests or cameos. He’ll also be the DJ for the event, though it’s not clear what kind of music he’ll be playing for the teens (or Jack Ryan fans). But people are using this announcement to work out some other things.

The prom starts at 8pm ET.

READ MORE:

• Prom might be canceled, but TikTok teens have backup plans
• The ‘Hamilton’ cast reunites on John Krasinski’s YouTube show
• This TikTok teen is blowing up because he looks just like Jim Halpert

The post John Krasinski joins TikTok, announces he’s your prom DJ appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Alex Warren, one of TikTok’s shining stars and a member of Hype House, is being accused of copying YouTuber David Dobrik—and it’s sparked online controversy.

It’s not just his ideas or style Warren is accused of copying. Fans have noticed eerie similarities between the two creators, down to Warren’s strangely familiar laugh.

Dobrik has been one of YouTube’s most popular creators for years. The 23-year-old got his start on Vine before pivoting to a successful career on YouTube. He currently boasts 16.8 million subscribers who flock to his page for his charming short-form vlogs and random acts of charity.

Dobrik’s videos, which all clock in at 4 minutes 21 seconds, have found massive success on YouTube. So much, in fact, that Dobrik has been able to share the wealth his online success has yielded on multiple occasions. His charitable acts—from gifting friends and family members with unexpected, lavish gifts to offering monetary aid to students—have earned Dobrik the title of “YouTube’s nicest creator.”

Warren appears to be working toward a similar goal. Unlike Dobrik, his videos vary in length, but they tend to fall between 4 and 5 minutes. Like Dobrik, all of Warren’s videos use all-caps titles with two exclamation points at the end. Every time.

Viewers have even noticed some suspiciously similar uploads. Dobrik uploaded his video titled “SURPRISING BEST FRIEND WITH LAMBORGHINI!!” in late August 2019. Warren uploaded a similar video, titled “SURPRISING BEST FRIEND WITH DREAM CAR!!” on Jan. 1, 2020. The trend continues across many of Warren’s uploads.

Fans have pointed to the striking similarities between the two social media stars’ pages, not to mention the similarities in their diction and laugh, to label Warren a copycat. Some people have gone so far as to label his actions “creepy.”

“Watching Alex Warren’s vlogs as a David Dobrik fan is so fucking disturbing,” one Dobrik fan wrote on Twitter. “The copied laugh literally gives me goosebumps.”

“The way Alex Warren copies David Dobrik from his content all the way to his personality, voice and mannerisms is literally terrifying,” another person said.

The eerie similarities even inspired a YouTube upload comparing the two creators. The video breaks down each YouTuber based on content and personality to see if accusations of mimicry are accurate. The YouTuber behind the video, Kevin Reyes, ultimately determines that Warren’s videos are too similar to explain away. He notes that his mannerisms, more than his almost indistinguishable format, are clearly inspired by Dobrik.

“Alex, just do your own thing,” Reyes says in the video. “You know they say ‘do whatever makes you happy, as long as it’s not hurting anybody?’ But when it’s hurting your integrity and reputation, I think that’s something that you’ve gotta look at.”

READ MORE:

• YouTuber David Dobrik says his monthly earnings dipped $273K after ‘adpocalypse’
• YouTuber David Dobrik receives backlash for vlogging plane crash skit day before 9/11
• The TikTok Hype House is now a thing—here’s what you need to know

H/T Dexerto

The post TikTok star Alex Warren accused of stealing ideas from David Dobrik appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Georgia high school expelled two white students after they posted a video to TikTok saying negative and racist stereotypes against Black people. 

On Thursday, the TikTok went viral after another student from Carrollton High School in Georgia posted it to Twitter.

In the video, the two teenagers make racist slurs and derogatory remarks about Black people such as, “go to jail,” “don’t have a dad,” and “eats watermelon and fried chicken.”

In a series of tweets, user @camden52801 says the girl in the video is a senior at the high school. She names both people in the clip.

The TikTok shows the two students “mixing” several racist stereotypes together to “make N-word.”

“First we add Black,” the pair says, as they pour a cup of water down the sink. Next, they add “don’t have a dad,” and “eats watermelon and fried chicken” before repeating the process with the water. 

When the pair sees a cup labeled “makes good choices,” there’s nothing inside. 

Then, they pour a cup for “robbing people,” with the man in the video adding specifically “white people.”

In a statement to the New York Times on Friday, Carrollton City Schools Superintendent Mark Albertus said the students’ “behavior was unacceptable and is not representative of the district’s respect for all people.

“The racist behavior observed in the video easily violates this standard. They are no longer students at Carrollton High School,” he said.

Several celebrities and Twitter users denounced the video—and the teens in it—as racist and advocated for their expulsion. 

District spokeswoman Julianne Foster told AJC that the students “will not be graduates of Carrollton High School.”

Albertus told the Times he is “deeply disturbed by the overt racist tone” of the video.

“This incident does not reflect the culture of Carrollton City Schools,” he said. “We are very proud of our diversity and so is our entire community. We don’t need to lose sight of this important attribute because of the actions of a few.”

READ MORE:

• White girls are fetishizing Black men in TikTok videos
• TikTok star slammed for dancing to the Quran being read
• Police officer lip syncs N-word, dubs Black voices in TikTok videos

The post 2 white high schoolers expelled over racist TikTok appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Last week, two high school students were expelled after a racist video, which they recorded and posted to TikTok, began making the rounds online.

The forces of the internet quickly coalesced to bring down harsh punishment upon the teens in question, Stephanie Freeman and Jeffery Hume. A fellow student at their Georgia high school flagged the video and helped it go viral. Within a few days, the harsh fallout had led to both students being expelled. The backlash didn’t end there, however, as people online continued what they felt was well-deserved punishment.

Now, Freeman is taking to her own social media pages to plead with the justifiably angry online horde. Several screenshots of what users claim are the teen’s Instagram Story have been shared online, where she claims that she has received death threats from commenters. She also asked people to stop sharing the video with her prospective college, calling the entire situation “not fair.”

“I want to apologize for the abhorrent video I posted,” she began the Instagram Story. She went on to blame her racist actions on Hume, whom she said “slowly normalized his racism” with her. “I believe blacks are human too, made in the image of Christ. I have dissapointed (sic) God and I want to apologize. Please don’t contact my college, it’s my future and one mistake should not ruin a life. Also please stop with the death threats.”

Freeman continued her pleas in several follow-up posts. In one, she promised to dedicate her life to “serving God and treating every human being with respect.” She noted that she did not expect to be forgiven by the public at large. “But I do take issue with one thing,” she wrote. “Hatred does not defeat hatred. Threatening, bullying and cancelling me will not resolve the world’s problems.” She urged readers to “seek God” and find peace. “I understand why people are angry at me, but how will ruining my life change that? My parents live om (sic) fear for my life. This is not fair!”

In the final post shared online, the teen appears to have lost her patience. “For the love of God, stop sharing the video and my name and picture,” she wrote. “You do not know what this feels like. I’ve never been this scared. It just isn’t fair. Imagine you’re a stupid teenager just going along with stupid teenager stuff and then your life gets ruined. Forever. People not caring what’s in your heart or what you’re really like. Only defining you by a stupid video. Please, please stop sharing!”

Freeman’s pleas appeared to fall on deaf ears. In the comment section for a tweet sharing screenshots of her post, people quickly tore into both teens. “Whew…If only she could imagine being hated or being in fear daily for something you couldn’t change or undo such as the color of our skin,” one user wrote. “Ppl not caring what you are/could be. She had a choice, her choice has consequences. She should have thought outside of her bubble. Smh.”

A few people shared screenshots of an Instagram account they claim belongs to Hume. On the page, which has since been deleted, several posts had been made to the story. In one, the user proclaimed, “y’all have ruined my entire life, what’s wrong with you people.” In another post, they wrote, “I worked so hard for my wrestling career now in the blink of an eye it’s gone.”

Following the original, racist TikTok’s discovery, claims that they belonged to the two Georgia teens were investigated by their school. Soon after, Hume received word that he would no longer be welcome on the school’s wrestling team.

The entire situation has continued to escalate over the last several days, ultimately resulting in Freeman’s name trending on Twitter. Users have been dragging the Georgia teen up and down the platform for days now. The resulting tweets are a harsh and unforgiving condemnation of her actions. There is little sympathy to be found.

Many people could not help but highlight the immensely offensive nature of the TikTok. “Looked up that Steph Freeman video that everyone is talking about and holy shit is it so much worse than i thought it would be,” one user wrote. “Like how do you dedicate that much time to a tiktok and not ONCE think ‘maybe not.'”

As the repercussions from the video continue to pile up, Freeman has attempted to shield herself by making her Instagram private and by changing her TikTok handle. Hume has taken similar measures. These attempts will almost certainly fall short in light of the heaps of people online looking to take the duo down.

Freeman did not respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.

READ MORE:

• 2 white high schoolers expelled over racist TikTok
• A mashup of ‘Tiger King’ and ‘Savage’ is fueling TikTok’s obsession
• MAGA teen gets ‘Today Show’ interview—and people are pissed
• Racist trolls are hijacking Zoom meetings as usage soars

The post Teen suspended over TikTok blames ‘racist boyfriend,’ begs people to stop notifying her prospective college appeared first on The Daily Dot.

TikTok user @reubix_cube is going viral, but not for any of the usual reasons.

The TikToker recently uploaded a video to the platform. For all intents and purposes, the video is nothing special. It shows @reubix_cube getting down to Doja Cat’s “Say So,” a popular song on the platform. Dressed in simple attire, the TikToker displays some stellar dance moves before gently sliding offscreen. Most users weren’t taken in by @reubix_cube’s fashion choice or footwork, however, but by a minute detail they noticed in the background.

About four seconds into the clip, a small movement can be seen in the background of the video. At the top of the stairs, something momentarily peeks around the corner before disappearing out of sight. The minor cameo might be a common occurrence in most households, but a follow-up video from @reubix_cube threw that idea out the window. The second video, a duet, shows @reubix_cube’s original dance alongside a video of him observing the clip. “Wth IS THAT ON THE STAIRS,” the video says at the top.

As the dance continues and the figure appears, more text scrolls by. “I WAS HOME ALONE,” the slightly frantic caption explains. “I DON’T HAVE ANY PETS.”

People were immensely freaked out by the strange occurrence, leading the video to go viral. Over the course of a few days, it wracked up 1.7 million likes, a far cry from the few thousand his videos typically receive. The second video, in which he noted that he lived alone, did even better. It had 6.3 million likes as of this article’s writing.

In another follow-up video, @reubix_cube explained that while he may seem calm, he is absolutely not. “A lot of people are wondering why I’m so calm about all this,” he said. “And the answer is pretty simple. I’m not. I barely slept last night.”

@reubix_cube noted that he is “99% sure” the figure in the creepy TikTok was not a person. “The stairs are loud,” he explained, before exemplifying their creaky qualities. He noted that he definitely would have heard a human’s weight on the staircase. He also made sure to shut down any viewers who accused him of staging the entire video.

In a final upload, @reubix_cube answered some of the many questions his video has inspired. No, he doesn’t have any pets. He was most definitely home alone, and opossums are not a common issue where he lives. While he has a large house, he noted that it is “open concept” and provides very few spaces in which to hide. He also revealed that this is not a strange occurrence in his home.

“I am not surprised that stuff like this is happening,” he explained. “This stuff has happened like my entire life living in this house.” While there are no previous tenants to blame the spooky activity on, @reubix_cube noted that his home is situated next to not one, but two graveyards.

Well if that isn’t a recipe for some creepy shit, I don’t know what is.

READ MORE:

• YouTuber Daisy Marquez catches ‘paranormal activity’ on video, says ‘something’ pushed her down stairs
• TikTok star Alex Warren accused of stealing ideas from David Dobrik
• Teen suspended over TikTok blames ‘racist boyfriend,’ begs people to stop notifying her prospective college
• John Krasinski joins TikTok, announces he’s your prom DJ

H/T LADBible

The post Viewers think they spotted ‘paranormal activity’ in this TikToker’s dance video appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Analysis:

Our understanding of gender has certainly evolved in modern times, but there are still stigmas about some toys or movies being “for girls” and others “for boys.”

It’s absurd. You know it’s absurd. I know it’s absurd. The stigma makes it more difficult for kids (and adults!) to explore and enjoy the things they like without fear of judgment.

But one wonderful dad went out of his way to make sure a safe space was still available for his Frozen-loving son to express his interests out in the world.

In a video shared on TikTok, the dad shakes his head as the screen informs us that his son wanted to go see Frozen 2 dressed as his favorite character, Elsa.

“I said there is no way you’re doing that…” father Scott Stuart writes, “…alone.”

That’s right. In a beautiful display of solidarity, the dad joined his 6-year-old, Elsa-obsessed boy and put on a matching costume so they would both have the best experience watching the new film.

According to BuzzFeed, Scott Stuart’s son, Colin, had been planning to see the sequel in an Elsa costume for a while, but gradually became more and more nervous that people would laugh at him. And that fear had a basis in reality.

“One day he came home from preschool completely distraught because someone said that Elsa was for girls,” Scott Stuart said.

That memory clearly stuck with both father and son, but Scott Stuart knew he couldn’t let society’s opinions get in the way of his kid living his best life.

“That day I resolved that I would always support the things that he loves, even if they challenged my (or society’s) expectations of him,” he added.

The support the dad showed his son resonated with folks on TikTok, earning the Elsa video over three million likes.

Scott Stuart also has other videos on his channel that highlight the importance of letting your kid figure out their interests without worrying about social stigmas.

Loving your kids as they are and doing what you can to support them should be pretty basic parenting things, but sadly, that’s not always the case. Hopefully, Scott and Colin can serve as a wonderful inspiration for other dad-and-son pairs out there because there’s no question that these guys are having some serious fun. And to all the haters…

READ MORE:

• This dad threw a 1-year HRT party for his trans son and the internet can’t get enough of it
• This dad sharing quarantine meals with his daughter is the most wholesome thing you’ll see today
• People are in love with the dad behind this ‘Dadosaur’ TikTok

The post This dad dressed up as Elsa–so his son could too appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Not even a global pandemic can stop TikTok creators from moving into a TikTok house, a large home where influencers flock to live under one roof.

Talent manager Fanbytes is carrying on the practice of the TikTok house, which was established with the Hype House in Los Angeles.

According to the BBC, Fanbytes has six popular U.K.-based creators living together to create TikToks. Ranging in age from 17 to 22, the creators are @Montykeats, @itslilyrose, @KTfranklin, @sebbbyjon, @surfaceldn, and @itzshauni.

The manager of the creators provides them weekly “care packages,” including food and other necessary items.

The TikTok house was planned at the beginning of the year, well in advance of the pandemic, and was completed before the U.K. went on lockdown on March 23. The creators were met with some resistance from their families, but the teens said they are using their time in the house to “help people stay home.”

“We’re doing daily live streams and other content, so followers have stuff to interact with while they stay indoors,” TikTok creator @Montykets told the BBC. “Seeing some of the reactions and comments is really encouraging.”

So far, the housemates have created sponsored content promoting brands and music. They have also posted coronavirus content, such as a video suggesting different things to do at home while under quarantine.

While the U.K. TikTok house hasn’t drawn a whole lot of criticism, as there are other things filling the news cycle, the reception hasn’t been completely positive.

“What is this fresh hell?” Twitter user @Potentia_Space wrote about the collaboration.

READ MORE:

• Teen suspended over TikTok blames ‘racist boyfriend,’ begs people to stop notifying her prospective college
• Viewers think they spotted ‘paranormal activity’ in this TikToker’s dance video
• 2 white high schoolers expelled over racist TikTok

H/T: BBC

The post The first U.K. TikTok house opens during the global pandemic appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Two high school students are facing backlash over a TikTok video wherein they mocked Jews sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp where more than 1 million people were killed during the Holocaust. 

The Nicollet Senior High School students posted a video that was reportedly taken down on Wednesday. The video showed them holding hands, dancing, and pretending to skip to the concentration camp.

At least one outlet reported that the students attend Minnetonka High School, where students have come under fire for sharing anti-Semitic content in the past. But the Daily Dot verified the students who made the TikTok video attend Nicollet Senior High School.

The Auschwitz video is a few seconds long. “Me and the boys on the way to camp,” reads part of the caption, according to a screen recording of the video shared by TC JewFolk, an online media platform for the Jewish community in the Twin Cities. The recording showed that the video had more than 7,000 views by Thursday.

The account that uploaded the video was not active as of Monday afternoon.

Dennis R. Morrow, superintendent of Nicollet Public Schools, wrote a letter to the students demanding an apology. Morrow also demanded they hand in an essay on “Hitler’s Final Solution at Auschwitz” by May 15. 

“If you had time to create the video, you have time to write this paper,” Morrow wrote in the letter. He wrote the incident was first brought to light by a university student in Indiana who viewed the video while in quarantine. 

Nicollet Public Schools did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.

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A viral video of a baby wearing a diaper has provoked unsolicited parenting advice from thousands of TikTok users.

The child in the video is bouncing on the back of an adult man. While some commenters find the boy to be adorable, others have chosen to shame the parents for their choices, saying that the boy is too large for his age or too old to be wearing diapers.

“He’s very healthy,” the boy’s mother, TikTok user @kat.027, wrote in response to criticism. “He’s a healthy happy 3 year old nothing wrong with him. My husband and I have really tall boys in the family.”

More criticism focuses on the boy’s health, with speculation as to wether he has an underlying health condition. The baby’s mother said on TikTok that he is perfectly healthy and that doctors expect him to be at least 6 feet 3 inches tall. Still, commenters are supplying more unnecessary advice.

“You guys need to be setting a better example for him,” TikTok user @friendswiththecoolkids wrote in response to a video featuring the boy eating a cookie.

Not everyone in the comment section is out to condemn the family’s parenting methods.

“He’s just a big kid,” TikTok user @Sagebe.e wrote. “There’s nothing wrong he’s happy and healthy and has very loving parents.”

We’ve reached out to the family’s TikTok account and will update with a response.

READ MORE:

• High school students pretend to skip into Auschwitz in anti-Semitic TikTok video
• The first U.K. TikTok house opens during the global pandemic
• Viewers think they spotted ‘paranormal activity’ in this TikToker’s dance video

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An employee for a Wichita Falls, Texas, location of beauty store chain Ulta is exposing how the company deals with returns.

In a recent TikTok, Bianca Ann Levinson revealed that most products returned to an Ulta must be destroyed, rather than placed back on the shelves. Her video showed Levinson systematically destroying a palette of eyeshadow, a bottle of Redken hair product, and a Kylie Lip Kit.

“This is what we do at Ulta when someone returns something, even if it’s not used,” Levinson explains in the video, before scraping eyeshadow into the trash with scissors. “This is what we have to do. Yep. So that people can’t dumpster dive and steal it.”

In the final portion of her video, Levinson produces a Kylie Lip Kit. In what is likely the most distressing part of the video for viewers, she slowly tosses each product into the garbage. She even snaps the lip liner in half before throwing it away.

BuzzFeed interviewed Levinson about the video after it went viral on TikTok this week. She told the publication that her video aimed to inform people about what happens to returned products. “I was truly shocked that this is how returns were handled,” she said. She noted that, if possible, people should think twice before returning things.

Levinson noted that she struggled to perform the practice, called “damaging out,” when she first began working at Ulta. After a while, however, she began to understand why it’s necessary. “The main reason why things are damaged out is because of the possibility of cross-contamination,” she told BuzzFeed.

She also noted that dumpster divers, who steal products from the garbage and then attempt to resell them, are also an issue. She stands by her company’s policy when it comes to returned products.

Levinson claimed that on a typical day, nearly 50% of foot traffic is returns. “About 30% of the product returns are able to be put back on the shelf and the other 70% have to be damaged out and properly taken care of,” she said. A typical week sees more than $1,000 in returned products thrown out, she said.

The video is not intended as a condemnation of Ulta’s practices, but rather a means of informing the public. As Levinson noted, the act of destroying returned products is not unique to Ulta. Other makeup retailers, including “Sephora, Bath and Body Works, Target and Walmart,” according to Levinson, also engage in the practice. While she wishes the products could be put to better use—like through donations to shelters—Levinson continues to love her place of work.

She said she hopes shoppers might keep the reality of returns in mind. Rather than purchase a product you may decide against keeping, Levinson recommended samples or testing products before going ahead with a purchase.

READ MORE:

• This viral TikTok has people backseat parenting a baby
• The first U.K. TikTok house opens during the global pandemic
• Viewers think they spotted ‘paranormal activity’ in this TikToker’s dance video

H/T BuzzFeed

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The “Blinding Lights” challenge, centered around a song by the Weeknd of the same name, is bringing TikTok together through glorious dance.

It’s unclear where the new trend started. TikTok credits user @macdaddyz as the originator. A video from the account shows three men bouncing along with the upbeat tune. They then break into a simple choreographed dance.

Though TikTok gives credit for originating the dance on @macdaddyz, users have been participating in the “Blinding Lights” challenge for weeks. Even Jenny McCarthy and her husband Donny Wahlberg participated, back at the start of April.

The award for best entry into the “Blinding Lights” challenge, however, may well go to the Pussycat Dolls’ Nichole Scherzinger. She uploaded her version of the TikTok challenge to Instagram, where it immediately blew her followers away. In Scherzinger’s version of the dance, she replaces any backup dancers with an effect that provides copies of herself to either side. Her brightly colored scrunchies, headband, and neon gear certainly keep the ’80s vibe strong.

Scherzinger’s dance involves plenty of hair-swirling and big, workout video grins. Her caption really drove the point home. “Alright #MondayMotivation,” the 41-year-old star wrote. “Who’s ready to jazzercise with me??”

Scherzinger’s excellent entry will have to spar with an upload with perhaps the best participation. One of the challenge’s best videos features an entire classroom of students taking part. Their poor, baffled teacher can only watch as all of her students drop what they are doing and begin dancing. Their timing is honestly pretty incredible.

A few healthcare workers even took part. Their entry, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, brings a little extra charm to the challenge.

READ MORE:

• The first U.K. TikTok house opens during the global pandemic
• Teen suspended over TikTok blames ‘racist boyfriend,’ begs people to stop notifying her prospective college
• Please don’t put ice cubes in your vagina for TikTok clout

H/T Evening Standard

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A college student from the University of Colorado Boulder is experiencing a brush of viral fame after a TikTok in which she orchestrates a “meet-cute” between her mom and her professor over Zoom gained millions of views, Insider reports.

In the TikTok, Aly Oliver’s mom walks in on her daughter during a Zoom call.

“Oh my God, that guy is a babe,” Oliver’s mom said after taking a peek at her daughter’s professor.

All this eventually led to Oliver scheduling Zoom office hours with her professor and her mom “accidentally” walking in on Oliver during the call.

Oliver made sure to tell her professor her parents were divorced prior to introducing the two. The mother-daughter duo did a practice run before the office hour call to make sure they executed the plan smoothly.

The video currently has over 2 million likes and has been viewed over 9 million times.

“I AM ROOTING FOR HER!,” user @ochoaxmarissa commented.

“She really practiced and executed perfectly,” user @choccychips commented.

“I love that she glammed herself tf UP for that 1 minute screen time LMAO GET YOUR MANS MOM,” user @trashohr commented.

Oliver decided to warn her professor about the video once she noticed it gaining popularity and posted his response on her Instagram Story, Insider reports.

“Hi Aly,” her professor’s email said, per Insider, “Surreptitiously recording aside, that’s [an] endearing thing for a daughter to do for a mother.”

Oliver has not responded to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.

In a more recent TikTok, she shared with her followers an update on the whole matter.

“There’s not much guys,” Oliver said in her video. “They live in two different states.”

Her professor said she could keep the TikTok online as long as she wrote about the ordeal for an upcoming assignment.

“So, I’m currently writing a paper on TikTok,” Oliver said. “That’s college for you.”

Although, there hasn’t been any major developments thus far, Oliver said she doesn’t plan on retiring her scheming anytime soon.

“I’m going to drop my mom’s cellphone number at the end of my essay,” she said. “Because what do I have to lose.”

READ MORE:

• This dad dressed up as Elsa–so his son could too
• ‘Blinding Lights’ challenge sweeps TikTok—thanks to Nichole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy
• TikTok exposes what Ulta employees actually do with your returned items

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Just days after two high school students were expelled over a racist TikTok video, viral clips indicate a trend on the video platform. Teens are relying on racist stereotypes and imagery in videos that follow the “how’s my form?” meme—and they’re getting doxed.

A YouTube video uploaded last week compiled four minutes of TikToks following the trend, many of which evoke harmful stereotypes of a race different from the creator’s race. The clips use the song “Yoga” by New York City rapper 645AR and end with the question, “How’s my form?”

One TikTok shared on Twitter shows a Black user asking Asians to rate his “form” on eating a bat. The video calls back to the xenophobia and racism that spread online after the first outbreaks of the coronavirus.

In another now-deleted TikTok, the user, who appears to be Asian, dances next to the text, “the best positions for 8+” with the eggplant emoji. He writes, “okay, now that all the black people are here,” then puts a bucket on his head and pretends to pick cotton.

But just like the now-expelled couple learned, there are ramifications for sharing racist videos. Twitter users spread the personal information—including the full name, home address, and school name—of the TikTok user who shared the offensive cotton-picking clip.

After one teen made a video mocking Black people and the Three-fifths Compromise, which gave slave states disproportionate representation in Congress before the Civil War, her dad forced her to apologize via TikTok.

“I didn’t mean for it to come off as racist even though, considering the context of it—I didn’t mean it like that,” the teen said tearfully in the clip. “I was just doing a TikTok trend, and my actions aren’t OK.”

One user, however, hopped on the trend without being racist. His TikTok made fun of “White TikTokers” crying after being expelled.

“I wanted to get in on this trend,” the user wrote. “Did I do it right?”

READ MORE:

• Lululemon fires employee over racist ‘bat fried rice’ T-shirt
• High school students pretend to skip into Auschwitz in anti-Semitic TikTok video
• Teen suspended over TikTok blames ‘racist boyfriend,’ begs people to stop notifying her prospective college

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President Donald Trump is getting the TikTok treatment, as an audio clip in which he expounds on the complexity of the coronavirus has become a running joke across the app. 

The clip comes from one of many Trump’s daily briefings on the coronavirus. So far, the audio has been used in over 250 TikTok videos. 

During an early April press briefing, Trump responded to a question about making coronavirus tests a priority for food processing plants, according to the Verge. Trump touched on a recent case just outside of Denver, where employees requested the closure of a meat-packing facility due to the second coronavirus-related death of a co-worker, the Denver Post reports.

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“This is a very brilliant enemy,” Trump said during the briefing. “They develop drugs like the antibiotics. Antibiotics used to solve every problem, and now one of the biggest problems the world has is, the germ has gotten so brilliant that the antibiotic can’t keep up with it.” 

Antibiotics only treat bacteria-causing infections and “do not work on viruses,” according to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

As Trump continued to respond to the question regarding food proessing plants, his explanation on the strength of the virus became even murkier. 

“They’re constantly trying to come up with a new… People go to a hospital and they catch… they go for a heart operation, that’s no problem, but they end up dying from…. from problems, you know the problems I’m talking about,” Trump said. “There’s a whole genius to it, we’re fighting, not only is it hidden but it’s very smart. And you see that in a case like Denver.”

Trump is most likely talking about MRSA and staph infections.

But healthcare workers on TikTok expressed their confusion over Trump’s remarks, with some poking fun at the statement’s ambiguity. 

The U.S. now leads the world in coronavirus cases.

READ MORE:

• China, Iran, Russia united in calling coronavirus an American-made bioweapon
• Lululemon fires employee over racist ‘bat fried rice’ T-shirt
• New York mayor roasted for ticker-tape parade plan amid coronavirus

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As the coronavirus continues to ravage the world, many are stuck quarantining inside their homes for weeks to months on end. But for many, home is not a safe place.

According to multiple reports, domestic violence has been on the rise. This is why a TikToker has gone viral for offering a way for domestic abuse victims to get a hold of the police without their spouse knowing—by ordering a pizza.

Actress Omoni Oboli posted the video on April 17, covered in makeup to appear bloodied and bruised. Point-of-view videos simulating abuse is a controversial trend that critics believe is harmful, as it can trigger abuse victims. The video was reposted to Twitter, where it went viral.

In the video, Oboli acts out the scenario. “Hello this is 911, what’s your emergency?” the “operator” can be heard saying on the other line. Oboli, portraying an abuse victim, responds, “Yes, I’d like to order a pizza.” The operator reminds her that she is calling 911, to which she responds, “What are your specials?”

The operator is supposed to understand that she is in danger at this point, so they ask, “Are you OK, ma’am?” Then, Oboli says, “No it’s for delivery” and gives the operator the address. This may prompt the operator to send police to the given address.

The 911 pizza call has been successfully used in the past and was bolstered in a 2015 Super Bowl public service announcement on domestic violence.

Oboli later shared the TikTok with her 2.4 million Instagram followers, writing, “My heart goes out to the people quarantined with their abusers. Seek help.”

If you are a victim of domestic abuse or want more information on domestic violence and resources for victims, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline online or at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

READ MORE:

• TikTok users are making videos from the ‘point of view’ of domestic abuse victims
• Michael Bublé facing scrutiny for elbowing, yanking wife on Instagram Live
• Woman shares aftermath of domestic abuse: ‘This is only to raise awareness’

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Perez Hilton tweeted that he has an incriminating video of British Olympic diver Tom Daley, 25, making out with a 16-year-old diver and TikTok star, according to the popular Twitter account Pop Crave.

The gossip blogger tweeted that someone messaged him the video, and he will not be sharing it.

“I am talking to my lawyer about what next steps should be with this video,” Hilton wrote in a follow-up tweet, “and making sure I do my duty to get it into the hands of authorities.”

The alleged video has not been made public by anyone. But one of Hilton’s followers offered some advice about his tweet, writing, “If that video hasn’t been authenticated, even this tweet could subject you to a defamation action. Tread lightly.”

Hilton, who is no stranger to controversy, replied, saying, “It’s definitely him. 100%.”

In a now-deleted tweet, Hilton stated that he deleted his initial tweet on the matter after discovering that “the minor was allegedly drunk when this happened and that he may have been 15 at the time.” He initially reported the alleged minor’s name, which he called a “mistake.”

In more tweets, Hilton reiterated to critics that he is not making the allegation up because doing so could get him “EASILY SUED.”

Neither Daley nor the TikTok star have commented on the existence of the alleged video.

READ MORE:

• Michael Bublé facing scrutiny for elbowing, yanking wife on Instagram Live
• Fans defend Adam Driver after he was ‘canceled’ for comments about joining military
• Demi Lovato accused of having an anti-Selena Gomez finsta

H/T Pop Crave

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