TikTok challenges are usually fun and trendy, but one of the latest to go viral on the platform is turning heads for all the wrong reasons. Now many are protesting the videos and demanding they be removed.

Participants in the “Autism Challenge” uploaded videos of themselves dancing to a song uploaded by user @zanayasligh while making hand gestures and mocking people with disabilities.

In one of the videos, a mother and daughter participate in the offensive dance craze together, making inappropriate faces and pretending to be disabled. Other users posted their own versions of the challenge, sparking outrage across the platform, as well as on Twitter.

Mom Kate Swenson, creator of Finding Cooper’s Voice, a website where she shares her family’s journey with a child with severe autism, blasted TikTok users who took part in the challenge and urged the platform to remove the videos in a post on Facebook.

“My video has received nearly 2,500 comment(s) and almost all have been
positive in the sense that they are sickened and shocked by this
trend,” Swenson told The Daily Dot via email. “People can’t believe that anyone would use their energy to make fun, bully and humiliate, individuals with disabilities.”

Others expressed similar shock and outrage.

“I have a teenage daughter with autism and I just immediately saw red when I found out about it,” Twitter user @ProVaxx told the Daily Dot. “I was absolutely disgusted that people think it’s ok to mock disabled/ autistic individuals in this way.”

Many alerted TikTok’s Twitter account of the offensive content.

“We are shocked and disturbed by the recent @tiktok_us challenge that encourages mean-spirited, discriminatory and cruel behavior toward people with special needs, including autism,” Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy organization, tweeted in response to the challenge.

Eventually, TikTok users began uploading videos with the same sound criticizing those who are taking part in the challenge.

Now, the videos of users expressing outrage over the challenge have taken over the sound.

For some, the offensive videos being drowned out by criticism still isn’t enough: They want TikTok to take action.

“It is my sincere hope that TikTok removes all ‘autism challenge’ content from their platform and that the users face some sort of consequence (maybe TikTok has some type of equivalent to “Facebook jail?),” @ProVaxx said.

However, Swenson doesn’t think the platform will step in.

“TikTok is saying that the videos mocking individuals with disabilities, don’t go against their community standards,” she said. “There will always be bullies and platforms that support them.”

TikTok has yet to respond to the challenge, and many of the original videos remain on the platform.

READ MORE:

• Warren advisor deletes tweet about Sanders after being accused of ableism
• TikTok’s ‘fox eye challenge’ called out for being racist
• People are still faking seizures on TikTok

The post Mom of child with autism pleads with TikTok to remove ‘Autism Challenge’ videos appeared first on The Daily Dot.

By Stacy Fernández

People are making frog bread, and it’s way more endearing than it sounds.

No—it’s not bread made with frog parts or anything like that. (Though I’m not knocking you if that’s what you’re into.) Frog bread is, get this, bread in the shape of your favorite hippity-hoppity creature.

The results are almost too cute to eat.

The hashtag “frogbread” already has more than 830 thousand views on TikTok, and it’s top tweet amassed 377,000 likes.

Though the finished product looks pretty intricate, making the frog bread is actually much easier than the results lead on.

You essentially do everything you’d normally do with the dough then: Set aside six chunks of dough for the legs and eyes, assemble it all into a frog-like blob, and indent a smile into your new friend. Bake and marvel at your toasty creation.

There are plenty of TikTok tutorials to get you started on your amphibious bread journey.

Some people are getting extra creative with their carb creation by adding a few extras like a tongue, tadpole, and even a whole baby frog army.

Those who’ve attempted their hand at the new trend are pleased to say the least.

READ MORE:

• Here’s why people are biting into bottles of apple juice on TikTok
• Kylie Jenner did the ‘Fruit Snack Challenge’ with Stormi, and the internet is in love
• A TikTok about how to make hot tea has everyone shook

The post Frog bread is TikTok’s latest baking trend appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A rising figure in the Democratic left who made a name for himself by running a digitally native political campaign has now disappeared without a trace from the majority of platforms his campaign relied on so heavily.

Joshua Collins is a 26-year-old socialist truck driver running for Congress in Washington state’s 10th district to replace Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.). Heck announced in late 2019 that he would not seek reelection. 

Collins’ congressional run has prided itself on being very attuned to the digital campaign trail since its inception. So much so that his handle, “Joshua4Congress,” has become synonymous with his actual name and campaign.

On Wednesday morning, Collins seemed to disappear from the platforms his campaign had seemingly been so in tune with. Collins’ Instagram and Twitter have both been deactivated, while his TikTok profile is still online. On his TikTok, Collins has over 76,000 followers, 2.3 million accrued likes, and self-describes as the “CEO of Socialism.” At the time of writing, Collins’ most recent video on the platform was posted about one day ago.  

The deletion of his social media, even if it might be temporary, has sparked widespread criticism online. Some are coming to the conclusion that Joshua’s “grift” has reached its endpoint and that he has now absconded from the race with the political donations his campaign has received so far. According to figures from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Collins has raised $205,000.64 in contributions for his congressional run.

Danni Shull, a political and communications director for the  Joshua4Congress campaign, responded to the confusion surrounding Collins’s disappearance through a Twitter thread.

In their statement, Shull specified that Collins has chosen to take a break from social media in order to improve his mental health. “I am not managing a neurotypical candidate,” wrote Shull in reference to Collins’ autism and the “struggles with his hyperfocus, the inability to disengage from the task at hand & consider his own needs/limitations” that come with it.

Shull elaborated further on these comments in the official Discord server for the Joshua4Congress campaign. “There’s a reason that everyone’s upset in his absence; it’s because y’all are used to having direct access to him as a candidate in a way nobody else lets you have,” they wrote. “Going forward you’ll see one of us grabbing the helm when he takes his days, but no content.”

All signs indicate that Collins has not dropped out of the race nor has any plans of doing so. Regardless, disappearing from the public online sphere while running a congressional campaign with no form of a press release sent out prior is not a good look or sound political strategy. The fact that the filing deadline to be on the congressional ballot in Washington is May 15 and Collins has yet to file does not help the situation.

READ MORE:

• The 14 progressives who could be the next AOC
• Britney Spears calls to ‘redistribute wealth’ in Instagram post
• Marco Rubio mocked for filming talking while driving socialism critique

The post ‘Joshua4Congress’ deactivates social media, sparking rumors of dropping out appeared first on The Daily Dot.

The stress and uncertainty we’re all feeling due to the coronavirus pandemic affects each of us differently. For some, it leads to binge-watching Netflix and finally learning how to use Zoom. For others, it is resulting in an eating disorder.

Videos shared via TikTok, in particular, are fueling concerns about eating disorders in young people. In recent weeks, the video sharing platform has seen a rise in videos touting “extremely unsafe” weight loss tips, according to eating disorder experts.

The Butterfly Foundation, an eating disorder support group, told ABC the pandemic has elevated this trend. The app’s primarily young user base has been increasingly sharing and consuming content that promotes unhealthy weight loss practices.

“These videos depict potentially harmful content that has the ability to reinforce negative feelings, attitudes, and behaviors—in relation to body image, food, and diet—to a vulnerable youth audience,” said Amelia Trinick, the Butterfly Foundation’s national helpline team leader.

The videos

The videos themselves have been cropping up on the platform for years now. With everyone stuck at home, however, the popularity of this trend has skyrocketed. Videos, often captioned with phrases like “what I eat in a day” or “how to lose weight” are now consumed by users—often in their teens—on a daily basis.

The videos typically tout unsafe weight loss methods or reinforce the harmful notion that “thin is better.” Stick-thin Instagram models, “miracle” weight loss methods, and potentially dangerous concoctions flood our timelines on the daily, leading to an alarming amount of body dysmorphia.

The pandemic has only heightened these issues, according to Trinick.

“People living with an eating disorder during this time have indicated a significant increase in eating disorder behaviors and thoughts due to the high levels of stress and uncertainty associated with COVID-19,” she said.

Loopholes

TikTok’s terms and conditions clearly outline what type of content is allowed on the platform. Under its terms and conditions, TikTok outlines that “any material that would constitute, encourage or provide instructions for a criminal offence, dangerous activities or self-harm,” is unallowed. “Do not post content that supports pro-ana [anorexia] or other dangerous behaviour to lose weight,” the site’s page reads.

Despite these distinct warnings, videos that clearly violate TikTok’s rules remain on the platform. “While this in itself is an issue, what is even more worrying is that these behaviours are being shared with other TikTok users who may then engage in the same behaviours or make body, weight, shape, appearance comparisons to the person in the original video—who may indeed have an eating disorder,” Melissa Wilson, the Butterfly Foundation’s head of communications, told ABC. “Unfortunately, the issue of exposure to harmful content such as this is heightened by the fact that TikTok, unlike other social media platforms, is relatively unmoderated.”

TikTok has made several attempts to include support measures and safety warnings, but Wilson says it isn’t enough. “While we are concerned that TikTok is targeted at a younger demographic…the bigger concern is the lack of moderation and safety messaging,” she said. “Due to the user-generated and largely unmoderated nature of TikTok, protecting people from harmful content is extremely challenging.”

The restrictions that TikTok has attempted to put in place provide easy to locate loopholes for users to exploit. Other, older social media platforms have far tighter restrictions.

In response to the criticism these videos have recieved, a spokesperson noted that the platform monitors and removes “red-flag language including those related to eating disorders.” TikTok also attempts to redirect users using that language to supportive resources.

“We care deeply about the complex and multi-faceted issue of eating disorders,” the TikTok spokesperson told ABC. “If we become aware of any content that violates our terms of service and community guidelines, we will take immediate action to remove content, terminate accounts, and report cases to law enforcement as appropriate.”

READ MORE:

• Adele fans blast media for being obsessed with singer’s apparent weight loss
• ‘Riverdale’ star Camila Mendes opens up about body image on Instagram
• People are dragging TikTok users for using a ‘darkened skin’ feature

H/T ABC

The post New TikTok trend fuels concern about eating disorders appeared first on The Daily Dot.

TikTok, the popular video app, has not been adhering to a number of promises it made to beef up its privacy surrounding its younger users, several groups have told the federal government.

The New York Times reports that consumer groups including the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood and the Center for Digital Democracy have complained to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that TikTok has not lived up to commitments made after it was slapped with a $5.7 million settlement last year.

The settlement came after the FTC found that TikTok and Musical.ly (an app that was acquired and folded into TikTok) violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by obtaining personal information of children under the age of 13 without parental consent.

As part of that agreement, TikTok agreed to remove all videos made by users under the age of 13 and to comply with COPPA moving forward.

In the complaint to the FTC, the groups said they found “many regular account holders who are under the age 13” and that “many of them have videos of themselves that were uploaded as far back as 2016.”

The groups also argue that TikTok does not reach out to children’s parents for consent and “thus … has no means of obtaining verifiable parental consent before any collection, use, or disclosure of children’s personal information as required by the consent decree and COPPA Rule.”

“By violating the consent decree, TikTok continues to compromise the privacy of the children still present on its platform, and its behaviors continue to contravene the very goals of COPPA,” the complaint reads. “Thus, we urge the FTC to promptly launch an investigation of TikTok’s
compliance with the consent decree and COPPA Rule and to impose additional penalties and safeguards to ensure that children’s privacy is protected.”

Recently, the popular app was also accused of breaking a different law.

In late April, the app was hit with a lawsuit that alleges it violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, a law that requires third parties obtain consent before collecting biometric data, like face scans.

The suit was filed on behalf of two underage users by their guardians and claims they were not informed that “their biometric data is being collected, captured, received, obtained, stored, and/or used.”

READ MORE:

• TikTok sued for allegedly collecting kids’ facial scans
• Frog bread is TikTok’s latest baking trend
• New Yorkers are showing off the most ridiculous parts of the city in new TikTok trend
• TikTok users are tallying their ‘Good Place’ points to see how they’d fare in the afterlife

The post TikTok isn’t keeping its promise to protect children’s privacy, groups say appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Scottish healthcare worker who went viral on TikTok by making content with one of her patients was found dead in her home on May 7.

Jeanette McKenna, 53, passed away from what her co-workers suspect to be the coronavirus. She was recently seen dancing with a 102-year-old patient on TikTok.

That video was taken down by its original poster, TikTok user @leannewilson123465, due to conflicts with patient confidentiality.

According to the Scotland Herald, McKenna’s death is being investigated by police. It is not believed that she died in suspicious circumstances.

The healthcare home McKenna worked at told the Herald it is “shocked and saddened” by the news of her passing.

“Jeanette was a hugely popular carer, colleague and friend for the past ten years,” a spokesperson for the Whitecraigs Care Home told the Herald. “She was absolutely selfless and gave love and support to all residents and families within her care.”

Friends and co-workers have also shared the sentiment that she was, “a kind hearted soul always looking out and the mama bear to everyone,” according to the Daily Record.

The Glasgow Times reports McKenna worked at the facility for 10 years. Her housing association has deep cleaned her home and asked that neighbors seek medical attention if they feel ill, raising concerns that she may have had the novel coronavirus.

READ MORE:

• Subway officials call TikTok cereal prank ‘despicable’
• TikTok isn’t keeping its promise to protect children’s privacy, groups say
• New TikTok trend fuels concern about eating disorders

H/T the Daily Record

The post Healthcare worker who went viral on TikTok found dead in her home appeared first on The Daily Dot.

To create her Wes Anderson “guide” to surviving a pandemic, Madelaine Turner says she “mostly wandered around my apartment, grabbing random trinkets and seeing the story I could make out of what I had.” 

This low-budget approach resulted in a faithful rendering of the Anderson aesthetic, produced during a time of prolonged isolation, edited to fit the parameters of TikTok. 

Turner, 26, has been on TikTok since February, and had a few random hits. “Joining TikTok was definitely a quarantine-fueled decision, and the joke was always that I was way too old to be on it,” she says. But the Anderson TikTok got a bump this week, after it was posted to Twitter by @atticshape with the caption “this girl on tiktok just bodied wes anderson in one minute.” The clip has more than 2 million views and brought Turner a surge of new followers. The Twitter bump has become a viral pathway for TikTok creators. Turner even created a Twitter to respond to the comments.

While she says the word “bodied” made her laugh, Turner admits the TikTok was “Definitely done with a deep, deep love and respect” for the director. 

“He has such a distinct visual style,” she says, “that most works that are brightly colored, textured, symmetrical, and devoid of overt emotion get labeled with ‘Wes Anderson vibes.’ When I initially thought to make the video, I had no idea it would reach the audience it did, so I wasn’t necessarily referencing his specific works, but the larger imprint he’s made in the collective culture.” She adds that she “definitely” had a “Wes Anderson phase.”

Turner has done some other pop-culture content—a parody of a “tense British drama,” a Sex and the City quarantine update—but she’s also had a lot more free time to see what works.

“I think most people find that as they get older and enter into the professional sphere, it becomes harder and harder to maintain those ‘frivolities’ that bring them joy,” she says. “When quarantine was enacted, there was a sudden absence of the external responsibilities I was normally saddled with. There was also this sense of ‘Why not?’ Why not start a TikTok? Why not make collages? Why not write music? Why not spend an afternoon filming a TikTok in the style of Wes Anderson?”

Turner says that TikTok was initially going to be a Sex and the City parody in the style of Anderson, but it proved too complicated for a DIY production. “Most of what I put online sort of follows my interests and ideas,” she says, “but I think my visual style is a lot less cemented and refined than the Anderson video.” While a wave of new views came from Twitter, so did criticism from Film Twitter types. Turner says that on Twitter, “the power lies with the critic.” Her experience on TikTok has been more positive.

“When I first started gaining traction, I had a lot of kids in high school and college connecting with me via DMs,” she says. They’d send me memes, talk about families, talk about school. I think it’s an app that supports connection. Even now, with the amount of traction the Wes TikTok got, the most negative comments on it are about my terrible British accent and the mic quality (both valid criticisms!).”

Still, Turner has a new audience and there’s “pressure” to produce “something that still feels authentic to what I find funny (or hope is funny), but will entertain as well.” To that we say: More Jennifer Coolidge TikToks.

READ MORE:

• TikToker Jeff Wright talks making aliens relatable and playing multiple characters
• This ‘honest’ Wes Anderson trailer roasts his movies for being repetitive and racist
• Papa John roasted for TikTok tour of his ‘Papa Castle’

The post How the creator of that Wes Anderson TikTok made her pandemic ‘guide’ appeared first on The Daily Dot.

We’ve reached week “who even knows anymore” of quarantine, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find ways to stay entertained. The concept of “date night” is especially amorphous nowadays; people who are locked up with their significant other can probably attest that binging Netflix and eating whatever fried thing is taking up space in their freezer has begun to lose its luster. Thankfully, one couple recently provided a cure for the common date night in a viral TikTok video.

The video comes courtesy of Luke Merren (@medical_advice on TikTok) and features his fiancee, Ally Mackie. The betrothed couple lives in Tallahassee, Florida, and they proved that a spontaneous date night is only one Walmart trip away. In his TikTok, Merren and Mackie both fish through bargain bins or run up and down the aisles of their local Walmart until the other person yells “stop.” At that point, they’ve got to put whatever item they’ve landed on in their shopping cart.

The result was a solid movie and a junk food spread fit for royalty. Merren and Mackie walked out of Walmart with a copy of Stephen Chbosky’s acclaimed 2017 drama Wonder on DVD, along with a bag of sour cream and onion chips, Unicorn Sparkle ice cream, a thin-crust spinach Alfredo pizza, mini corn dogs, and a case of lime White Claws. 

You can tell both partners are skeptical about certain selections—Merren lets out a bemused sigh when Mackie picks up the ice cream—but that’s part of the fun of the game.

“We anticipated landing on some things we didn’t like, but we didn’t cheat and pick again,” Merren told BuzzFeed. (The couple only passed on a family-sized box of frozen chimichangas in the interest of not being wasteful.) “We definitely would not have chosen the Alfredo thin crust pizza, but now it’s one of our new favorites!”

Merren’s date night video has earned an astounding 1.8 million views on TikTok, along with 147,000 likes and over 3,000 comments. From the looks of the comments, lots of other couples are eager to play the date night game themselves, though one commenter offered a grave warning: “Be careful with that unicorn sparkle ice cream. Be prepared for unnatural forest green poop.”

READ MORE:

• How the creator of that Wes Anderson TikTok made her pandemic ‘guide’
• Frog bread is TikTok’s latest baking trend
• New TikTok trend fuels concern about eating disorders

H/T BuzzFeed

The post Spice up date night with this couple’s viral TikTok game appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A TikTok user is going viral for her on point singing impressions of artists.

TikTokker Kimberly Camacho is teaching people how to sing like different artists using three steps. The singer and actress chooses an artist, explains three defining features of their singing, and then shows viewers how to put them together. She can sing exactly like the celebrity––from Billie Eilish to Celine Dion.

“I try to explain the steps in a simple way that is mixed with technical terms,” Camacho told BuzzFeed. “That way, it will be understood by trained singers, amateur singers, and people who have never sang in their lives.”

The singer started the instructional videos while she was in quarantine. Her video teaching people how to sing like Billie Eilish launched her into popularity, and she’s been growing her fan base since then.

“I decided to get a TikTok to cure my boredom during quarantine,” she told BuzzFeed. “I saw a lot of comedy TikTok videos, so I decided, ‘Why not?'”

In her Lorde video, the singer explains that step one to achieving the correct sound is to put your voice in the back of your throat and make it sound groggy. Then, Camacho explains which vowels and consonants to over accentuate. Lastly, the TikTok user advises people to speak a phrase on the rhythm. And just like that, the singer sounds exactly like Lorde.

People love the TikToks. Her videos are showered in comments from people asking if she’s a vocal coach, celebrating her killer singing skills, and putting in requests.

“Wow you’re incredible and these are so enjoyable! More,” one TikTok user commented on a video showing how to do an impression of Celine Dion.

Some viewers said that they’re not able to succeed at the impressions just yet, but Camacho often reminds people to have fun as they learn and to keep practicing in order to figure out what works for them.

“The way I modify my voice to sound like Celine Dion may be different than someone else whose voice is lower or higher than mine,” she told BuzzFeed.

The good news is that the singer plans to continue helping viewers master their celebrity impressions.

“I love making the videos and I plan on making a Judy Garland one soon,” she told BuzzFeed. “They’re a great distraction right now and hopefully entertaining for those watching. I want it to remain fund positive.”

READ MORE:

• Spice up date night with this couple’s viral TikTok game
• Healthcare worker who went viral on TikTok found dead in her home
• Subway officials call TikTok cereal prank ‘despicable’

H/T BuzzFeed

The post This TikTok singer went viral for sounding exactly like Billie Eilish appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Looming over an anonymous city, a spindly figure emerges from the gloom, haunted by echoing sirens. If you’re on TikTok, you’ve almost certainly seen it: A new successor to viral creepypasta hits like Slender Man. This lil guy is called Siren Head, and he’s popping up everywhere from video game mods to Elon Musk memes.

Siren Head’s name is self-explanatory: a decaying, skeletal giant with sirens for a head. Created by illustrator Trevor Henderson, Siren Head made its first appearance in 2018, described as a lurching figure who screams random words and numbers with a buzzing, staticky voice. It’s an ingenious blend of popular horror tropes: numbers stations, creepypasta, and the kind of partially-explained cryptids you find in SCP Foundation stories.

Trevor Henderson is behind several other pieces of viral horror art, mostly in the form of photorealistic monsters that just briefly look like they could be real. They work like a jump scare with a backstory, instantly memorable and meme-able. Long Horse. Breaking News. Cartoon Cat. “I love creating modern urban legends,” Henderson told the Daily Dot in an email. “And using regular every-day spaces as a way of making creature design more immediate and unsettling.”

Siren Head caught on fast, inspiring tons of fanart, an indie horror game in 2018, and a Fallout 4 mod this year. Some creepypasta-style monsters work best as urban legends, but Siren Head turned out to be an incredibly effective piece of videogame character design. First you see its distant outline in the fog. Then you start to hear the sirens. It moves slowly, but that just makes it more unnerving. You want to find meaning in its random audio clips, but there’s no way to communicate. The lack of facial features create a terrifyingly blank slate.

Trevor Henderson already had a big following among horror fans, but until recently, Siren Head’s popularity was mostly restricted to the creepypasta/SCP Foundation side of the internet. Then VFX artist Alex Howard posted a TikTok of Siren Head wandering through a city, racking up millions of views in the first week of May. His version of Siren Head is the one you’ve probably seen, a satisfyingly creepy piece of fake footage that’s perfectly suited to a 10-second clip. Since then it spread to Twitter and onto the shitposting meme corner of the internet, and the rest is history.

If your timeline is currently full of gifs of a dancing skeletal monster, you now know who to blame.

READ MORE:

• How the creator of that Wes Anderson TikTok made her pandemic ‘guide’
• Frog bread is TikTok’s latest baking trend
• TikTok users are recreating ‘Hey There Delilah’ from her perspective

The post Who is Siren Head, TikTok’s viral cryptid? appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A couple on TikTok started raising a baby monkey while much of the world is enduring social isolation or quarantine. The account, @MojoTheMonkey, shows nearly every aspect of raising a monkey since the first post on April 8.

It’s unclear what kind of monkey Mojo is besides being a cute one. He’s climbed in popularity on the platform, drawing over 5.9 million likes in the month since his account was created.

His owners have also created a YouTube channel and an Instagram account to share his growth and cute moments. While the TikTok account offers quick views into Mojo’s day, longer videos on YouTube show a happy baby monkey learning and playing with his owners. Mojo’s owners identified as Carlos and Lauren, ask their viewers to like and subscribe, saying it’s so easy, “a monkey could do it.”

While these videos are adorable, they’re also informational as they show viewers what kinds of supplies are needed to safely raise a baby monkey.

In the video titled “Baby Monkey Essential Items,” one of Mojo’s owners goes through what she considers to be must-haves for raising a baby monkey. These include baby formula, diapers, baby shampoo, and many other items one might purchase for a human baby, as well as some pet-specific items like a cage and toys.

While there is near-constant documentation of Mojo’s daily routine, there is a noticeable lack of information concerning where Mojo is from and how he came to live with his owners. Subscribers and followers have picked up on this, asking for his backstory.

“PLEASE DON’T SKIP OVER THIS COMMENT,” YouTube commenter Terry Morriss wrote in response to a video of Mojo going to Petsmart. “I AM absolutely infatuated with these little babes. I would love to watch a video about how and when you got this gorgeous little guy, kinda like an origins/journey tale. It is so important for there to be an origins tale on your channel. Your vids are excellent, you two are really likeable, but I feel like I could connect and grow with you all if you let me in. “

The Daily Dot reached out to Mojo’s owners and will update the story when we hear back.

READ MORE:

• Who is Siren Head, TikTok’s viral cryptid?
• This TikTok singer went viral for sounding exactly like Billie Eilish
• Spice up date night with this couple’s viral TikTok game

The post Move over dancers. This baby monkey named Mojo is the new TikTok star appeared first on The Daily Dot.

CNN’s host Chris Cuomo and his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), have grabbed the attention of the nation with their candid interviews while responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the two aren’t the only ones in the family garnering a loyal following.

Bella Cuomo,17, the daughter of Chris Cuomo, has been building a loyal following on the social media site TikTok. 

While Chris Cuomo was fighting coronavirus and sharing updates with viewers in real-time, and Andrew Cuomo was coordinating New York’s response to the epidemic, Bella was using equal parts laughter and self-deprecating humor to connect with a younger demographic.

Her platform has grown drastically throughout the coronavirus, which come both at the expense of poking fun at her father, as well as doing a few coordinated dances with him, too. 

As of now, her channel has grown to nearly 400,000 followers and over 13.9 million views. 

Bella has even tried to enlist the power of her followers to sway her father into letting her go on a ski trip, pre-pandemic, of course. 

“Blow this up so he lets me go and my parents stop fighting about my pros and cons and why I deserve to go,” the teen captioned the video. That remains on her most popular TikToks, with over one million views.

As the host was recovering from the coronavirus in his basement, Bella set out on a voyage into the contaminated air to pay her father a visit, sporting a yellow hazmat suit and an N-95 mask. 

In another that landed well, Bella made light of her uncle Andrew, stating on national television that she would “set up” by literally taking a step up.

Yet during the family’s coronavirus quarantine, Bella hasn’t just been making stellar TikToks and doing school work. 

According to her mother, Cristina Cuomo, who also tested positive for coronavirus, Bella helped take care of her sick parents. 

“Our 17-year-old daughter, stepped up cleaning, doing laundry, cooking for her siblings and getting them situated with google classroom, and caregiving her mother and father,” the mother penned in an Instagram post. 

Bella did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

READ MORE:

• New Yorkers are showing off the most ridiculous parts of the city in new TikTok trend
• Andrew Cuomo is TikTok’s new favorite lifestyle guru
• TikTok’s dark new 2020 meme: Either way you’re voting for a rapist

The post Forget Andrew Cuomo, his niece Bella is the real breakout coronavirus star appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A video on TikTok captures the moments after two brothers saved a young woman and her baby from a roll-over car crash that could’ve left both seriously injured. 

The accident happened on the evening of May 13. According to the Chilliwack Progress, Will Vader and his brother, Braden, were driving behind the woman’s Jeep when they witnessed the crash.

The brothers’ quick thinking might have saved the mom and child from a deadly fate. 

Witnesses of the crash say both the woman and the other driver were at fault for the accident. “There was some back-and-forth road rage going on,” Will Vader told Chilliwack Progress. “It all happened so fast.”

The Jeep and another car were taking turns cutting one another off until the Jeep swerved off the road and crashed, Will Vader said. The other driver involved reportedly fled the scene after the crash.

The Jeep flipped into a ditch, lighting on fire due to the impact of the crash, and because the woman had jerry cans in the back of her car, he added. “The flames were rising higher and higher,” he said. “Two minutes later the car went into a big flameball.”

Will Vader said he and his brother “immediately go out of the truck and ran up to them and broke the glass and pulled the mother and baby out.”

The 19-year-old was also able to capture a TikTok of the flames after the woman and child were safe.

“It all kind of snowballed together,” he said. “In the end, this could’ve involved more than just those two vehicles, including my own, which makes me want people to chill out behind the wheel.”

The Vader brothers stayed with the woman and her child until they were taken to a local hospital. Both suffered only minor injuries, the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service confirmed. 

READ MORE:

• TikTok captures deadly helicopter crash
• Teen goes viral for recording TikTok immediately following car crash
• TikTok user posts the moment her dog dies. People are furious

H/T Chilliwack Progress

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A man in California has pled guilty to child pornography charges after coercing dozens of minors on popular apps like TikTok into producing explicit content.

Jacob Blanco, a 28-year-old resident of Fresno, admitted in federal court to pressuring 50 different children into providing him with sexually graphic images.

The case began in March 2017 after the parents of a 6-year-old found that their child had communicated with an account belonging to Blanco on TikTok, which at the time was known as Musical.ly.

After identifying Blanco, investigators carried out a search warrant on the man’s home and digital devices. Blanco is said to have lured the children by claiming to be either a modeling agent or a child as well.

Aside from TikTok, Blanco also interacted with minors on apps, including Snapchat and Kik.

As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Blanco pled guilty to five counts of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography, according to local reports.

Blanco is set to be sentenced on Oct. 9 and could face anywhere from 15 to 30 years in prison for each of the initial five counts. The receiving child pornography charge could add an additional five to 20 years in prison as well.

READ MORE:

• TikTok isn’t keeping its promise to protect children’s privacy, groups say
• TikTok sued for allegedly collecting kids’ facial scans
• TikTok denies suspending Muslim teen over Chinese internment camp videos

H/T yourcentralvalley.com

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A social media influencer in India is getting slammed for posting a TikTok of himself acting out what appears to be an acid attack against a woman.

In the video, TikTok star Faizal Siddiqui reportedly acts out threatening a woman for wanting to leave him for another man. The video then shows him throwing some sort of liquid on a woman who is later seen crying and wearing makeup that looks like burn marks, according to Business Insider.

People stormed Twitter to denounce the video. Many called for the TikTok to be taken down and for authorities to investigate the influencer, who has 13.4 million followers on the video platform.

“Acid attack is being proudly promoted on TikTok. We want Faizal Siddiqui [to] be arrested immediately,” one Twitter user wrote.

The influencer responded to the opposition on Instagram. He defended his video, saying the woman is a professional makeup artist, and the video was “art.” Siddiqui said his video “in no way represents a victim of an acid attack.”

The influencer also got defensive about the fact that the video was posted about a month ago and that it just now is being criticized. However, he said, he decided to take down the video.

“My intention was never to hurt anyone in any capacity,” the influencer wrote on Instagram. “As a social media influencer, I realize my responsibility and apologize to anyone who was offended by the video.”

But some said that the apology was insufficient. They pointed out that this isn’t the first time he’s posted a video that depicts violence against women. One Twitter user found a TikTok of Siddiqui pretending to have hit a woman who rejected him.

“This is for everyone who is telling that the guy is just drinking water and that’s not an acid attack,” Twitter user @Ish_fish wrote. “This is the same guy in the video. Please stop normalizing violence against women if they reject your romantic advances.”

Advocates for women in India are sharing the video with police and TikTok India to call for more restrictions against videos promoting violence against women, according to Business Insider.

READ MORE:

• Man pleads guilty to coercing children on TikTok into producing child porn
• New TikTok trend fuels concern about eating disorders
• Mom of child with autism pleads with TikTok to remove ‘Autism Challenge’ videos

H/T Business Insider

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Sure, you could play Mario Kart while in isolation. Or you could stuff yourself into a storage bin and turn on the treadmill.

One TikTok user, Jesse Ring, has apparently kept herself occupied by recreating the race part of Mario Kart. Clad in a biking helmet and sitting snugly in a laundry basket, Ring attempts 1-7 miles per hour on the treadmill, with the last few attempts throwing a little more chaos into the experiment. It’s all about the forward momentum.

The clip is less than a week old and has more than 16 million views (and it appears to be Ring’s only video), but it inspired others to try it for themselves. Some intrepid players went up to 8mph. But it seems like they need more runway than a treadmill offers. Maybe a treadmill onto a Slip ‘N Slide?

This is part of a bigger #mariokartchallenge trend, which, in the last couple of months, has evolved to include a treadmill drinking game.

And there’s a Mario Kart candy challenge.

And there have been other interesting recreations of the game.

So yeah, this totally counts as cardio. And then there’s the next level iteration.

READ MORE:

• Who is Siren Head, TikTok’s viral cryptid?
• New TikTok trend fuels concern about eating disorders
• Mom of child with autism pleads with TikTok to remove ‘Autism Challenge’ videos

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A TikTok video joking about tattoos given to Holocaust prisoners at concentration camps has gone viral receiving over 600,000 views.

The video was uploaded on April 28, by Bradley Brooker from the United Kingdom. The viral clip is set to a remake of the 90’s hit “No Scrubs” by TLC.

The video starts as a man gets into a taxi cab under the subtitle “Jewish guy getting in my taxi.” The driver then asks for the passenger’s name, and he is seen rolling up his sleeve to check what appears to be a tattoo. The driver is then shown lip-syncing the lyrics, “No, I don’t want your number,” which is a reference to the Holocaust tattoos given to Nazi prisoners.

The controversial clip has been “liked” over 63,000 times.

Although the video continues to be popular, many, especially in the Jewish community, are calling the video anti-Semitic.

Their point is hard to miss as the object of this dark humor has an even darker history.

The system of tattooing was started in Auschwitz and was used to identify those fit to work in Nazi concentration camps. The practice of tattooing Nazi prisoners was part of a psychological system designed to dehumanize them. Prisoners no longer had a name and were instead given an identification number they were forced to memorize.

According to War History Online, some Jewish people still branded by the Holocaust tattoos have stated that ” the mere sight of that hateful ink on their skin was too much to bear, reminding them of the most degrading, fearful, and arduous period in their life.”

Brooker still maintains “it’s just a joke.”

In a statement on Monday to the Jewish Chronicle, Brooker stated, “If you read through the comments on the video there have been Jewish people finding the funny side to it. It’s not me hating a religion––it’s just a joke.’’

READ MORE:

• New York City Mayor de Blasio blasted for tweet calling out Jewish people
• 8chan users planned ‘Zoombombing’ campaign against Jewish school
• Far-right trolls creating fake accounts, posing as Jewish users

H/T Jewish Chronicle

The post TikTok of man making fun of Holocaust tattoos has gone viral appeared first on The Daily Dot.

JoJo Siwa is no stranger to online criticism. The 17-year-old YouTube star and dancer—who is known for her giant hair bows, ponytail, and glittery makeup and outfits—has received a barrage of messages from haters telling her to “act her age.” On Monday, Siwa indulged those haters by letting her hair down in a cheeky TikTok video—and her fans are losing it. 

Set to the tune of BMW Kenny’s “Wipe it Down,” the video shows Siwa wearing her signature bow and glittery jacket as she sprays her bathroom mirror. She goes to wipe the mirror down as the beat drops and poof—suddenly she’s wearing a Gucci T-shirt and letting her locks flow, sans bow. She ends the video by spinning and glancing smugly at the mirror.

It may not sound like much to the uninitiated, but to Siwa, it was a big deal. In 15 hours, the video has earned nearly 18 million views and 3.6 million likes. Plenty of “YAASSSSSSS,” “SLAYYYYY,” and “ICONIC” remarks abounded among the 96,000 comments. 

The Jojo Siwa memes quickly flooded Twitter as well. Some people joked that with her contract about to expire, Siwa was free to flaunt a more grown-up look and truly wild out online. Others likened her new look to former child star Miley Cyrus, who adopted a more risqué image during her Can’t Be Tamed era and dialed it up about 10,000 notches on Bangerz. 

And, because this is Twitter in 2020, some people decided to simp for the 17-year-old YouTuber.

For now, though, Siwa—who turned 17 today, mind you—is just having a little fun and acknowledging both her fans and haters. She can wear her hair however she pleases. Now please, for the love of God, try to be normal about this.

READ MORE:

• People are using treadmills to recreate Mario Kart on TikTok
• My plans/2020 meme shows how this year canceled everything
• Bachelorette star apologizes for using N-word on Instagram Live

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It’s official. TikTok is unavoidable.

For better or for worse, TikTok is arguably the most powerful force in social media right now. While the platform is home to impressively creative videos and entertaining trends, it’s also chock-full of racist garbage fires and alarming content. Most importantly, it’s here to stay; TikTok videos regularly go viral on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and some of the creators behind those videos have more followers than celebrities and models on other platforms.

From A-list actors to bonafide TikTok-exclusive influencers, top TikTok stars wield a massive amount of influence. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 most-followed American TikTok stars for you to familiarize yourself with.

Without further ado, here are the 10 of the most popular TikTokers of 2020 in descending order of follower count.

Top 10 North American TikTok stars of 2020

1) Charli D’Amelio

TikTok account: @charlidamelio

Approximate follower count: 56.3 million

Charli D’Amelio got her start the same way most TikTok stars did: lip-syncing and dancing to various hit songs and videos. As the most-followed user on TikTok, D’Amelio has dealt with both the best and worst aspects of social media stardom. On one hand, the teen got herself a gig for a Super Bowl ad. On the other, she’s had to deal with scores of body-shaming trolls.

2) Loren Gray

Instagram account: @lorengray

Approximate follower count: 43.3 million

Until quite recently, Loren Gray actually had the most TikTok followers—until Charli D’Amelio passed her up in March 2020. Gray first started making content on TikTok’s predecessor, musical.ly, but she’s far more than just a TikTok creator. Gray has a pretty stacked musical resume. She’s built her own music career and she’s eve starred in a Taylor Swift music video, too.

3) Zach King

Instagram account: @zachking

Approximate follower count: 43.1 million

Zach King is a little different than the typical TikTok star. He focuses more on the movie-esque aspect of the app, and has a long history with the art of filmmaking. King first got recognition for his unique “digital sleight of hand” on Vine and YouTube, where he garnered a massive following. His talent has clearly proven just as popular when translated to TikTok.

4) Addison Rae

Instagram account: @addisonre

Approximate follower count: 40.9 million

Like many of the stars on this list, Addison Rae is a member of the famous TikTok Hype House. Rae joined TikTok relatively late, only starting to make content in July 2019. However, she blew up immediately, her dancing TikToks and videos with her family drawing in millions of followers. In fact, she became so successful she ended up “resigning” from college.

5) Baby Ariel

Instagram account: @babyariel

Approximate follower count: 33.0 million

Baby Ariel is another Musical.ly starlet-turned-TikTok-sensation. Coming from a rare dynasty of viral social media sensations, Ariel was no stranger to making content; she even got advice from YouTuber Miranda Sings. The TikTok star is also known for her role in Disney’s Zombies 2 and for her anti-bullying social media campaign, #ArielMovement.

6) Spencer Polanco Knight

Instagram account: @spencerx

Approximate follower count: 29.8 million

Spencer Polanco Knight is another slight anomaly in terms of the genre of his content. While most top TikTok creators lip-sync, dance, or even take part in small skits, Knight drew attention for his over-the-top beatboxing skills. His talent scored him a Monster Energy sponsorship, which has since allowed him to go pro as a beatboxer.

7) Brent Rivera

Instagram account: @brentrivera

Approximate follower count: 27.2 million

Brent Rivera is probably one of the few people on this list who’s best known outside of TikTok. As a successful comedic YouTube creator, he’s no stranger to being in the spotlight—both in terms of having a whopping fanbase and for facing a bit of controversy. However, Rivera’s been met with nothing but love for his TikTok skits, pranks, and videos with his younger sister.

8) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Instagram account: @therock

Approximate follower count: 24.5 million

Yep, you read that correctly. The Rock is not only the highest-paid actor in the world, but an actual TikTok star too. This beloved wrestler-turned-performer is using his wholesome public image to his advantage by posting nonstop charming, heart-melting content (most of which features his adorable young daughter).

9) Dixie D’Amelio

Instagram account: @dixiedamelio

Approximate follower count: 24.4 million

Considering the staggering success of Charli D’Amelio, it makes sense that her older sister Dixie would also do well on the app. As the more laid-back and aloof D’Amelio sibling, Dixie tries purposefully to differentiate her content from Charli’s. Unfortunately, it seems like she hasn’t been able to avoid the same criticism that comes with being in the spotlight.

10) Kristen Hancher

Instagram account: @kristenhancher

Approximate follower count: 23.9 million

Canadian content creator Kristen Hancher (often called a Kylie Jenner lookalike) also posts comedy bits and lip-syncing videos. However, Hancher is best known for her incredibly detailed makeup and hair looks, along with her comprehensive beauty tutorials. Hancher is also an actress, having starred in a few films over the last several years.

READ MORE:

• The best songs that have been revived on TikTok
• Here are the top 10 most popular Instagram models in 2020
• The best memes on TikTok right now

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Mobb Deep’s 1999 video for “Quiet Storm” is very much a product of the era, though the song continued to be influential well after its release. But one part of the remix video—Lil’ Kim’s dance moves during her verse—has made its way to TikTok.

The “Quiet Storm” dance didn’t just appear on TikTok; it’s been kept alive throughout the years. As Know Your Meme points out, in 2017 (the same year Mobb Deep’s Prodigy passed away), a video with the caption “Practicing your best Lil’ Kim ‘Quiet Storm’ dance moves before the party” was posted to Twitter, and in October 2019, Lil’ Kim brought it back during a BET Hip Hop Awards medley.

When it jumped to TikTok in late 2019, the dance—a series of staggered squats and dodgy arm movements—was fairly pure.

But more recently, it has evolved to fit comedic or relatable situations. In early May, the “Quiet Storm” dance started seeing more variations, using the audio from @thavideoplug.

There’s even a murder hornet sub-trend.

If anything, it’s allowing people to dodge whatever else 2020 has in store. Between this and the “Crush on You” challenge, Lil’ Kim doesn’t need to even get on TikTok (but she probably should).

READ MORE:

• People are using treadmills to recreate Mario Kart on TikTok
• My plans/2020 meme shows how this year canceled everything
• Teen goes viral for ASL take on ‘Crush on You’ challenge

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